Love Is Weakness
by xCommaderPrincessx
Summary: The Grounders and Sky People fought together and defeated the mountain men but the danger is not over yet. With Cage having fled from the mountain and tensions rising between both camps will Clarke and Lexa be able to maintain the peace and defend their people? Tough choices will have to be made but in the end will it make them stronger than ever or tear them apart?
1. Chapter 1

The air was filled with anticipation as the Grounder army marched on Mount Weather. Many were keen to avenge the deaths caused by the missile attack and could hardly restrain their bloodlust. The warriors surged around me as I strode beside Lexa, our footsteps perfectly in time as we advanced upon the enemy. Now that Bellamy had removed the threat of the acid fog nothing could stand in our way, we would get our revenge.

As if sensing my thoughts, Lexa's steady gaze focused on me, a slight smile forming on her lips. I remembered the kiss that we had shared earlier but quickly pushed the thought away, I had to focus on saving my friends, everything else would have to wait.

I turned my attention back to our surroundings, constantly scanning the trees for any threat but none was to be found. I noticed that the trees were beginning to thin out, we were close. The two of us picked up the pace, the Grounders parting respectfully as we moved to the front of the army. Only a few hundred meters ahead, Mount Weather loomed ominously above us, rising impossibly high into the sky.

The army had stopped moving and was waiting silently for orders, all eyes were looking to us. I clasped the radio tightly in my hand and took a deep breath before speaking into it.

'We're ready Bellamy. Are you there?'

For a few painful moments, the radio crackled and hissed and I repeated my words, feeling a rising sense of desperation with every passing second.

'Affirmative. We're engaging with them now, all entrances are accessible.'

I closed my eyes briefly in relief at his response. I faintly heard sounds of fighting in the background and knew that we had to act quickly, their small group could only distract the mountain men for so long. Bellamy had somehow managed to unlock all the entrances and I was thankful for his quick thinking.

Lexa turned to the army, her voice ringing out across the forest. 'The time has come for our revenge. We will take this mountain and kill those who have dared to oppose us. Jus drein jus daun!'

I knew the phrase well, it translated as blood must have blood. The Grounders roared their approval and with a subtle signal from their commander they charged forwards, spurred on by Lexa's powerful words.

'Steer clear of the fighting, you're priority is helping you're friends' Lexa told me as we moved forwards. I nodded in agreement, my hand instinctively going to my gun.

'I'll go straight to level 5, that's where they'll be.' I told her, knowing that if I needed to, I would be able to protect myself. Up ahead Grounders ripped into any entrance they could find, pooling inside in seconds. Some mountain men were positioned in defense and the fighting soon spilled outside the base.

I quickly located the closest entrance and mentally mapped my path there but before I headed off I looked over at Lexa.

'Be safe Clarke' she said softly, her attention trained entirely on me. I nodded in response, aware that if things went badly this might be the last time that we ever spoke.

A moment later, sword in hand, she lept forwards and joined her army in the thick of the fighting, an unstoppable force slashing left and right as she felled enemy after enemy.

A second later I followed suit, heading straight for the entrance that I had located earlier. This was it, the moment we had been waiting for, the battle had begun.


	2. Chapter 2

Inside the mountain was a scene of chaos, the bodies of mountain men and grounders alike covered the floor, as the fighting continued to rage around them. Looking around I saw that all of the rooms leading off from the corridor I was currently stood in led into science labs. After my constant studying of the base floor plans I knew this meant that I was on level 2. The lifts were not a safe option so I headed straight for the stairs, slipping around the fighting mass of bodies. I quickly descended the stairs two at a time, keeping my gun in hand as a precaution.

I paused at the third floor which was relatively quiet as most of the fighting was going on above. This was where quarantine was and I had to check if there was anyone being held, I couldn't take the risk of missing anyone. I crept down the seemingly deserted corridor, peering in the first cell I came to. It was empty, as was every other one on that floor. Satisfied that my friends weren't being held there I turned back to the staircase but one of the rooms caught my eye, I recognized it from my stay here previously.

I felt a surge of anger at what they were doing here, we didn't deserve to be treated like animals. My prisoner number had been 302-5 in mount weather, 319 on the ark. I felt like I had been a prisoner for most of my life but now I was fighting for freedom. Turning away from the cell I headed back to the stairs, descending another flight down to the fourth. Whilst I had been checking the quarantine, the fighting had spread down to the lower levels and the air was filled with the screams of the dying.

A grounder in front of me went down from a shot to the head and the soldier turned his attention to me. I saw in his eyes that he knew that they had lost, it was only a matter of time until he was killed but he was going to take as many of us down with him as he possibly could. His acceptance startled me, how could he be so calm in the face of death. As I raised my own gun in defense, a Grounder slammed into the soldier, sending him sprawling to the ground.

The Grounder gave me a sharp nod before he drove his sword into the man's heart without a blink, moving on to his next target without pause. I pulled myself out of my shocked haze, I had to get to my friends. With one last look at the lifeless body I continued along the corridor descending another flight of stairs.

Finally, this was floor 5. I stood still and heard faint echo's of my friends voices, shouting encouragement to each other as they battled the enemy. I took off immediately, following the sound through the twisting and turning corridors until I finally saw them. Bellamy stood at the front of the small group shooting down any soldiers he saw, a grim look on his face. When he finally caught sight of me at the other end of the corridor, a smile formed on his lips.

'Clarke! You made it!' he exclaimed, the others cheering as they too saw me. They quickly stopped when another wave of soldiers hit them and I had to help.

'With me' I commanded sharply, motioning to a number of nearby Grounders, hoping that they would listen.  
Thankfully they did and we charged straight at the attacking soldiers who were put off by the speed and brutality of our attack.

I fired off shots, taking down the closest men until I approached my friends as the Grounders finished off the last of the soldiers.

'Bellamy, we need to get everyone out of here now, it's a bloodbath' I told him grimly and he nodded in agreement before telling the others to get moving.

It didn't take as long going up as it had down but as a large group we were able to kill anyone who stood in our way.

We were soon approaching where I had entered the mountain and then finally we were outside. It felt good to be out of the cramped space but the reality of the situation was no better. The fighting still continued even out here, I caught sight of Lincoln fighting off two soldiers nearby.

'Bellamy get everyone to safety, I'll find you later' I called over my shoulder as I headed towards Lincoln, I knew that Bellamy would protect our friends.

One of the soldiers turned as I approached but I ignored him, instead shooting the one who was aiming his weapon at Lincoln and he went down straight away, the bullet hitting him straight in the chest. Lincoln easily dealt with the second soldier who stood staring at me in shock. Once he had been dealt with, Lincoln looked over his shoulder, giving me a nod of gratitude for helping out. I returned the nod, turning back to survey the rest of the fighting. The soldiers were being to lose ground, unable to fight against the constant tide of Grounders. I caught a glimpse of Lexa in the distance, whirling and slashing the enemy with a feline grace.

I began moving in her direction, shooting a few more soldiers as I went. The breath caught in my throat when I saw the giant of a man that was approaching Lexa. He was built like a grounder with huge muscles and tremendous strength. He held a Grounder sword in his hand which he must have taken from one of the dead and from the trail of dead grounders he left behind him, it looked like he could use it.

Lexa fought fearlessly, blocking and parrying his attacks, using her smaller build to her advantage. I increased my pace, trying desperately to get into range to shoot. He growled as Lexa slid past him, slicing her sword across his leg. Though quite a bad wound, the soldier seemed unfazed by it and attacked his enemy with an even greater fury. Lexa struggled to block his blows and my heart beat quickly as she narrowly avoided his deadly blade.

On the other side of the clearing Indra saw that her commander was in trouble and broke into a run towards her but she was to far away, she couldn't help.

I couldn't wait any longer, I could only hope that I was close enough for a clear shot.

The world slowed around me and it was like everything was moving in slow motion. The soldier swung his sword and Lexa rolled away but not quick enough and the sword sliced through her arm. All of a sudden a calmness fell over me and I lifted my gun slowly. I was aware of Indra racing across the battlefield but she was too slow. Lexa grimaced from the pain in her arm and I saw the realisation on her face that she was going to die. The soldier brought the sword above his head, ready to bring it down in the fatal blow.

My eyes focused and I knew that if I missed the shot Lexa would die. I couldn't afford to miss.

I squeezed the trigger and the bullet sped through the air before it pierced into the soldiers skull, he died instantly and his lifeless body fell to the ground. Lexa stared at the body in a mixture of shock and suprise, before her eyes flicked to mine.

In a split second I was off, my feet barely touching the ground as I raced across the battlefield, not caring about any soldiers or Grounders in my way, I could only think of Lexa. I quickly closed the distance between us, slowing as I approached her. She drove her sword into the ground and used it to pull herself to her feet, blood trickling down her wounded arm. I stopped in front of her and inspected the cut, luckily the sword hadn't gone to deep or caused too much damage. With a breath of relief I knew that she was going to be okay.

I looked up at Lexa, her strong gaze fixed on me.

'Thank you Clarke' she said softly, her face inches from mine. I couldn't speak, the words caught in my throat.

'Commander, are you injured?' Indra asked, slowing to a stop beside us. Realizing how close we were stood, I took a step back, releasing Lexa's arm from my grip.

'Just a flesh wound Indra, nothing serious, what's our status?' she replied, though her eyes remained on me.

I quickly ripped some material from my shirt and wrapped it around the wound in a makeshift bandage as Indra briefed us on what was happening.

'All lower level floors have been secured, the first floor is being used to hold the leaders who await your judgement. The remaining soldiers are being wiped out as we speak' she informed us.

'So the mountain is ours?' Lexa asked, looking to Indra for an answer who paused before replying.

'The mountain is ours' she confirmed, a grim smile on her face. Lexa looked over at me and I knew what she was going to ask.

'I got them out, my friends are safe' I told her, they would probably be at Camp Jaha within the next few hours.

'Then the war is won. Now we must take a count of the dead and assemble the clans, then we will speak to the Mountain Men.' Lexa stated 'Clarke, you will return to you're camp and see to you're friends'.

I opened my mouth to object but she cut me off swiftly. 'I will sort everything out here, you must go and check on your friends' she repeated, showing no sign of budging. I slowly nodded, of course I wanted to stay and help but I was desperate to return to my camp and see the others.

'You did well today Clarke' Lexa told me, an inscrutible expression her face before she and Indra left in the direction of the mountain. I watched them go for a moment, the words echoing in my head before I turned and headed in the direction of camp Jaha.

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	3. Chapter 3

The battle had begun at the setting of the sun the previous day and now, as I made my way back to camp, the forest was shining in the early morning light. The 8 hour travel took me the best part of the day but I enjoyed the walk, it was peaceful in a way and now that my friends were safe the worry had lifted from my shoulders and I could relax slightly.

As the camp came into view I saw armed guards lining the electric fence that served as a protective barrier, the electricity flowing through the wire would knock you unconscious with a single touch. As I approached, a voice called for the guards to hold their fire before the gate was slowly swung open. I trudged wearily past the barrier, not having stopped moving since setting off from Mount Weather.

The gate closed with a clang behind me and I was greeted by Ray, a soldier who had taken the place of Major Byrnes as lead guard.

'Clarke, it's good to see you, Bellamy told us that we won the battle. You're friends are in the medical room' he said, gesturing towards the ark.

'Thanks, I'll go and see them now. I don't think you need so many guards at the fence' I added as an afterthought, noting how tired they had seemed earlier.

'I'll see' he replied tightly 'you look exhausted, you should get some rest.'

A shout from the guards cut off my response and we turned to the fence where three grounders were pulling their horses to a stop. For a minute I thought it was Lexa but as they entered the camp I saw that it was Indra at the front of the trio and from the dark expression on her face I knew that she wasn't bringing good news.

'On second thoughts, maybe it would be best to keep the guards where they are for the minute' I said to Ray.

The Grounders jumped down from their horses a few meters away, a number of guards warily training their weapons on the three of them.

'Put your weapons down and return to the gate' I ordered sharply, not wanting to risk offending Indra who was shooting dark looks at the men. After a nod from Ray the guards reluctantly returned to their positions.

'Clarke, we need to speak in private' Indra said, not wasting any time on greetings. It looked like my rest would have to wait though I could barely stand I was so tired.

Ray started to follow us as we walked towards the ark but the two other grounders stood at the entrance, blocking him out. He raised his voice in protest and we turned back to face him.

'Lexa's orders, I am to speak only to Clarke' she told Ray who fumed angrily in response but took a step back, knowing that he had no chance of getting past the two armed Grounders.

'Where can we speak?' Indra asked and I lead her into the command room.

'So what's happened?' I asked, standing on one side of the circular table, not wanting to sit down and risk not being able to rise again. Instead I shifted my weight from foot to foot to relieve the pressure.

'A number of mountain men managed to escape from the base once the fighting started, one of them being Cage Wallace, The man in charge of everything in the base' she told me, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword.

Of all the people to escape it had to be him, the man who had ordered the bone marrow transplants and had kept my friends prisoner.

'It gets worse doesn't it?' I sighed, Indra wouldn't come all the way here just to tell me that. She nodded in response.

'When we attacked the base the reapers fled from the mines into the forest, Lexa sent me to warn you that we don't know how many of them there are or where they are. The worst part is that the Mountain Men that fled took the condotioning devices with them as well as the Red syrum.'

What Indra was telling me was that the Mountain Men could possibly be planning an attack by controlling the reapers. Just when I thought it was over there was another problem we had to face.

'Okay, thanks for letting me know' I said, rubbing my head tiredly. 'Where is Lexa anyway?' I asked after a second, trying not to appear suspicious by asking. Indra fixed her steel gaze on me and I returned the look steadily.

'The commander is busy with the clan, plans are being made to rebuild the village. She also has meetings with other clan leaders to attend' she finally replied. 'She felt the need to inform you privately of the recent problems, not wanting to cause a panic in your camp.'

I nodded, that made sense and I was thank full that Lexa had been thoughtful enough to have me told in private.

Sensing that the meeting had come to an end I led Indra back to the entrance of the ark, the two grounders falling into place behind her as they returned to their horses. I followed behind to ensure that the guards at the fence didn't cause any trouble.

As I neared the gate, Ray stormed over from where he had been waiting for us to emerge. He grabbed my arm tightly, pulling me to a sharp stop where he stood.

I looked at him in surprise, the anger written clearly on his features.

'I know you think you're some kind of big-shot with the Grounders now but here you are a minor, I am the commanding officer and in the chancellors absence I am in charge. Do you understand?' he growled furiously, tightening his grip on my arm. 'You do not give orders to my guards and you most certainly do not do anything without my permission, no more secret meetings with them' he spat, clearly meaning the grounders 'or you will be in serious trouble.'

My surprise was quickly replaced by annoyance at his threatening words.

'Don't ever grab me like that again' I warned him in a low voice, ripping my arm out of his grasp. 'What did you mean in the absence of the chancellor' I asked with slight confusion.

A smirk lifted on his lips at my words. 'You're mother rode out to Mount Weather shortly before you arrived, the Grounders could use her medical skills, so she left as soon as possible. She obviously didn't even think to tell you, like I said, you have no standing in this camp. You're a criminal here just the same as you were on the Ark, don't let any fantasies of power let you forget that' he responded bluntly, turning on his heel and striding away from me without a backward glance.

I stood in silent shock for a moment processing what he had said. I hoped that my mom would get to Mount Weather safely but didn't understand why she hadn't wanted to tell me. Then it dawned on me that she was still angry about my role in the destruction of TonDc. I looked over to where Indra was watching me silently from atop her horse, she had seen the whole argument. I internally sighed, knowing that she had heard every word. It was never good to look powerless in front of Grounders, especially Indra of all people.

'You shouldn't let him talk to you like that' Indra told me, as if I'd had any choice. 'You have a strength in you Clarke, don't let people like that walk over you.'

There was no love lost between the two of them, an instant dislike having formed between them from their first meeting. The guards opened the gates and Indra wheeled her horse around before the three quickly sped away, back to their clan.

I watched them go before heading back towards the ark to find my friends, I felt Ray's sharp gaze on my back the entire way, reminding me that not everyone in this camp felt as I did about the alliance with the grounders. Many, like Ray, disagreed with it and would rather go to war.

Indra's words had been unexpected, she wasn't generally friendly to me, putting up with me more than anything. I wondered what had brought about her sudden change of heart. I didn't have long to dwell on my thoughts as I saw Bellamy walking towards me from the other end of the corridor.

He had obviously cleaned up, wearing a fresh change of clothes, his hair washed and face scrubbed of dirt. It was relief to see him again.

The distance soon closed between us and he pulled me into a tight hug. He released me a moment later and we just stood like two idiots beaming at each other.

'Come on princess, you look exhausted, the others are just down here' he said with a smile and wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

Even with the new threats against us that had just come to light, I pushed my worry's aside. I would deal with them later, for now I was just glad that we were safe though for how long I couldn't say.

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	4. Chapter 4

Days turned into weeks as we worked on improving the protection of the camp. The number of guards on duty doubled and a ditch was dug around the outside perimeter of the fence, leaving only the front entrance as an access point. In terms of stopping any attacks from reapers, it would be very effective, but this made getting out by any other way near impossible as the ditch had been filled with sharp stakes. Getting through the electric fence was the least of your problems I had spent lots of time with my friends, having not been allowed by Ray to participate in any meetings before my mom had returned and immediately overruled him, much to his annoyance. It seemed Ray had been busy turning the guards against me and the grounders so I always had plenty of dark looks being sent my way.

I had hardly seen Raven since returning from Mount Weather, she would leave a room if I entered, avoiding me like the plague. She still blamed me for Finn's death and I didn't know how to make things between us right. After being stuck in camp for even just a few days, I had been desperate to leave but mom had made sure that no one was to leave the camp without her permission. She was wary of attacks from reapers so I had not been allowed within 10 feet of the gate without her knowing. She knew me well enough to know that the electric fence would not stop me so the guards were under order not to let me pass the gate for any exception.

I knew that she was just being protective but I had survived before she had come to Earth and I would continue to do so now.

It was mid-afternoon and I was sat in the dining area with my friends, ignoring the dirty looks that the guard on duty was giving me. I wasn't the only one to notice, Jasper looked between the two of us, trying to figure out what was wrong. I just shook my head at his confused expression, I didn't want to drag any of my friends into this mess.

Most of the ark was aware of the hostility between me and the guards, though they didn't realize that just this once it hadn't been anything that I had done wrong. Many people kept their heads down as I passed, skirting carefully around me with averted eyes, this made me wonder what runours had been spread around. I sighed just thinking about it.

I was broken out of my thoughts when Bellamy came rushing into the room. 'Clarke, come on, they're here' he told me breathlessly and I lept up from the table and followed him out, leaving my bewildered friends staring after us.

Walking out of the ark, I saw a crowd of people warily watching the fence where two Grounders had stopped their horses. They made no move to dismount, instead remaining unmoving like statues.

I quickly pushed passed the gawping people to where my mom stood with Ray, the guards at the fence pointing their guns at the motionless Grounders.

'Mom, open the gate' I said, coming to a stop beside her, not understanding why they hadn't been let inside already.

'I can't do that Clarke' she apologized, keeping her eyes fixed straight a head. Ray stood triumphantly beside her and I wondered what he had been saying.

'Then at least get the guards to stand down, they are not the enemy' I insisted, trying to get through to her.

'We don't know that Clarke, for all we know they could be planning an attack on us next' she replied, crossing her arms in front of her.

Before I could respond one of the Grounders spoke up.

'Clarke Griffin' he growled, his rough voice muffled slightly by his imposing mask. I immediately started to walk forwards but Ray placed himself in front of me.

'You are not leaving this camp' he told me as mutters spread through the crowd behind me. At this point I was sick of Rays pathetic attempts to assert his power and was not going to stand for this again.

I took a step forwards, closing the distance between us and looked fearlessly up at him, despite the fact that he was a good head taller than me.

'I suggest you get out of my way right now before I do something I might regret' I warned in a clipped voice, watching the flash of surprise that spread across his face.

'Clarke that is enough' my mom snapped.  
I turned to her in desperation.

'Mom you have to let me go, the alliance could depend on this' I pleaded, ignoring Rays grunt of disbelief.

Finally, after a moment of contemplation,  
she nodded and signalled to the guards to open the gate. After a second they complied and I pushed triumphantly past an angry Ray.

Without looking back I passed the gate and defensive ditches, climbing onto the midnight black horse that stood between the two grounders. Looking in from the outside, our camp looked like a prison and I shuddered at the thought of being cooped up inside it again. My mom watched silently as Ray glowered darkly at me by her side. The crowd regarded me suspiciously and casting one last look over the camp, I turned my horse and followed the Grounders into the woods.

We travelled at a fast gallop, the journey taking just over half an hour. Instead of going straight on to where TonDC had been, we turned right, travelling down an unfamiliar path. Another border sign had been placed, warning any visitors to remove weapons. The grounders pulled to a halt, not allowing me to go any further until I gave them any weapons I might be carrying. After I had reluctantly handed over my gun, I dismounted and walked the rest of the way into the heart of the camp, escorted by the two grounders.

I saw that the tents and huts had been built in a similar layout to TonDc and many more were in the process of construction. I felt a slight hostility in the air and the Grounders that I saw, regarded me with cold eyes. I immediately felt vulnerable without my gun and was relieved when we approached what I assumed was the Commanders tent. Indra was waiting outside to take me in. Lexa was sat on her throne, raised slightly from the ground, inspecting the sharpness of her blade when we entered.

'Welcome Clarke' she greeted me, not lifting her eyes from the dagger. 'I called you here to discuss the alliance'. She wasted no time on pleasantries, instead cutting straight to the point.

Indra walked over to the Lexa's side, taking her position on the left side of the chair.

'I'm glad you did, there seems to be tension building between us again' I replied, not only from those at the Ark, but also from the Grounders judging by their less than hospitable welcome.

'Now that the war is over, my people seem to think that you are no longer of any use to us. We need to renew the alliance or risk another war' Lexa told me and we both knew how that would end if it came to a fight.

'There must be a way that we can all live in peace' I insisted, if it came to a war than we stood no chance of winning.

'What would you suggest?' Lexa asked, lifting her eyes to mine for the first time since I had entered her tent. It was almost like she was testing me, seeing how I would respond.

I thought for a moment before saying anything. 'Most importantly, no Grounder can kill one of us and vice versa. That has to be set in stone. We have no need to fight each other. We can work together to eliminate the threat of the reapers, with our combined forces we could wipe them out quickly.' I suggested and Lexa nodded in agreement, apparently satisfied with my answer.

'I agree, it is possible that I could then convince my people to live alongside yours, we will not let them forget your assistance in taking Mount Weather down. Over a hundred grounders were being imprisoned inside for the use of their blood and a lot of families will not be willing to go to war with those that freed them.' she informed me and I felt a surge of relief at her words, it looked like we could live in peace after all.

Our conversation was interrupted when a Grounder entered and requested permission to speak. Lexa nodded and the three of us waited for his words.

He began to talk in a language that I didn't recognize but Lexa quickly raised a hand to silence him.

'Clarke is our ally, you can speak freely in front of her.' Lexa told him.

He looked at me suspiciously for a second before continuing in English.

'Commander, the mountain has been secured, all inhabitants have been dealt with. We have control of all levels and the one called Dante Wallace is being brought here to face your judgement' he reported, fixing his gaze straight ahead.

'Good, keep our warriors on patrol until I say otherwise, we cannot have it falling back into the hands of the enemy. That is all.' Lexa replied and the Grounder nodded sharply, leaving to carry out his instructions.

I frowned in confusion and turned to look at Lexa. 'The inhabitants have been dealt with? If the mountain has been cleared then where did you take the people that lived there?' I asked, watching Lexa closely.

When she didn't respond immediately my stomach twisted sickningly as understanding dawned on me.

'Indra, you can leave now' Lexa said quietly after a moment of silence, her eyes lowered to the ground.

Indra began to object but Lexa out her off. 'That was an order. Now leave.' she commanded sharply, her tone allowing no room for argument.

Indra scowled fiercely at me for a moment before striding out of the tent, leaving the two of us alone.

'Please tell me you didn't' I whispered softly, hoping that I was wrong.

'I did what had to be done' Lexa replied stiffly and I looked at her in horror.

'And what exactly was that?' I asked, wanting to here her say it.

'We took the mountain and found them cowering in their rooms. They didn't even try to fight us when we appeared.' Lexa told me, lifting her eyes to mine as she spoke. 'I did what was necessary and gave the orders for them to be killed.'

She spoke so calmly you would think she was talking about the weather and it horrified me that she could be so cold.

'They knew what was happening to my people, that they were being locked in cages like animals and being bled dry just so that they could live a bit longer' she continued, seeing my appalled reaction.

'The adults maybe, but there were innocent children in that Mountain' I argued, remembering the young boy who had spoken to Bellamy. He had been so oblivious to the horrors happening around him. Now he was dead. Just like all of the others who had been unfortunate enough to live there.

'Yes Clarke, children who would have grown into adults who would hate us for the lives we took. Children who would soon grow up and become just like their parents, intent on wiping my people out' she responded bluntly, showing no sign of remorse.

I turned away, shaking my head in disbelief at her calm composure. Was it possible for someone to be so heartless?

'Clarke, you have to understand that I did it to ensure our survival' she continued when I didn't speak, rising from her chair and taking a step towards me.

I whirled on her in fury, anger blazing through my body.

'That's your excuse for everything, you call that survival?' I asked incredulously. 'I call it murder.'

A spark of anger flared on Lexa's face at my words. 'The mountain men sent a missile at our camp, hundreds died as you well know, I call that a massacre' she replied angrily.

I let out a shaky laugh, feeling my self control sliding away.

'Hundreds died because of us Lexa, we left them to die and saved ourselves' I reminded her, the memory of that day still fresh in my mind.

'You can keep arguing all you like Clarke, but we did what he had to do. Warning them wouldn't have made any difference except that we would've died along with them' she said, her previous anger gone, her voice once again void of any emotion.

'You have a lot of blood on your hands Lexa, too many lives have been destroyed. I don't know how you can live with yourself, I know I can't' I admitted, having been haunted by the events at TonDC ever since the missile attack.

'You should let go of your guilt Clarke, before you become buried in it' Lexa told me, her eyes looking almost black in the dim light.

'I thought you were better than this' I whispered sadly.

'Looks like you were wrong' Lexa replied, her voice betraying no sign of emotion.

'You're right, I was wrong about you Lexa, there isn't a scrap of decency left in you' I said darkly, turning my back on her and walking away.

'Clarke wait' she said, grabbing my arm to stop me from leaving. 'It's dark out, it's too dangerous for you to walk back to your camp now.'

'I would rather risk being attacked by the reapers then stay here for another second with you' I growled, pulling my arm from her grip before walking out of the tent into the falling darkness, feeling Lexa's eyes on my back the entire way.

I retrieved my gun from a Grounder, ignoring Indra's icy stare as I made my through the camp. I felt an intense urge to get away from the them all and walked as fast as I possibly could, Lexa's words echoing in my head with every step.


	5. Chapter 5

My head whirled as I stumbled through the dark forest, unable to stop thinking about what Lexa had done. It reminded me of how different they were from us, their ways were a lot more brutal than I ever could have ever imagined. I had grabbed one of the torches earlier on my way out of the camp so I wasn't left in complete darkness. The landscape was a lot different at night and it was hard to know if I was going in the right direction.

I had been traveling for about 20 minuutes when I arrived at the small clearing that was the halfway point between the two camps. Taking a deep breath I slowed my pace, allowing my aching muscles the chance to rest. After a few minutes I was about set off again when the sound of a twig snapping caught my attention.

I froze and listened carefully, in my haste to return to camp I hadn't been even thought about the danger I faced from the reapers. Doing a three-sixty turn, I scanned the entire forest but nothing was to be seen. I drove the torch into the ground before reaching for my gun, scanning the woods warily the entire time.

After a few seconds of listening intently I heard twigs snapping behind me again and I whirled around, gun raised to shoot. I stopped short when I saw the figure emerging from the trees.

'Raven? What the hell are you doing out here? I almost shot you' I told her, my heart pounding, but really I was just relieved that it wasn't a reaper.

Raven didn't respond but came to a stop a few metres in front of me.

'Raven?' I asked warily, unsure what she was doing. My breath caught in my throat when she raised her gun, pointing it straight at me.

'I tried Clarke, I really did but I just couldn't' she told me quietly and I watched her carefully.

'You couldn't do what?' I asked, my voice shaking slightly.

'I couldn't forget what you did to Finn' she said, lifting her dark eyes to mine and I saw the pain that filled them.

'I gave you that knife Clarke, but you weren't meant to kill him.' she continued, shifting slightly into a more comfortable position. I kept my eyes focused on the gun in her hand, surely she wouldn't shoot me?  
In the dim torchlight I saw a flicker of movement over Ravens shoulder and was suprised to see Lexa approaching silently through the trees.

As she reached for her throwing knife I shook my head slightly, I didn't want Raven getting hurt.

'I loved him Clarke, even when he only had eyes for you, I couldn't escape how I felt' Raven continued, brushing away a tear from her watering eyes.

Lexa was almost close enough to disarm her, I just had to keep Raven talking for a little longer.

'Raven, I understand your pain, but this isn't the way to deal with it' I insisted, hoping that she would see sense.

'What would you know? You just acted like nothing had happened after you plunged a knife into the heart of the man I loved' she accused angrily.

I opened my mouth to reply but my heart skipped a beat when she turned to face Lexa. 'Do you think I'm stupid? Move' she ordered, gesturing back to me.

Now that she wasn't facing me I could've tried to disarm her but I wasn't going to risk anything whilst the gun was pointed at Lexa.

'I said move' Raven repeated angrily. Lexa slowly began to walk towards me, the gun trained on her the entire way. Once she was stood by my side, Raven pointed the gun at me once again.

'Raven please, just put the gun down and we can go back to camp, we can just forget this ever happened' I pleaded, but she was having none of it.

'Just like you forgot about Finn? I gave you that knife so that you could drive it into her heart' she said, her gaze flicking to Lexa who was now watching me.

'If Clarke had not killed your lover, he would've suffered the death of 18 lives. You saw what happened to Gustus. Even with my death, the outcome would've been the same. Clarke understood this and did what she needed to do, his suffering would've been greater if she hadn't' Lexa told Raven calmly, not showing any sign that she felt threatened by the gun.

'You didn't have to take him in the first place' Raven argued 'No, you're words are pointless. I wish that Clarke had killed you that day, just to see the look of surprise on your face as the knife plunged into your heart. Finn wasn't meant to die that day, you were'.

Seeing where this was going, I was ready when Raven aimed the gun at Lexa, intent on exacting her revenge. I threw myself sideways, pushing Lexa to the ground as Raven pulled the trigger. The shot rang out through the dark forest and pain exploded in my shoulder as the bullet tore straight through it.

I hit the ground hard, the breath forced out of my lungs from the impact. My vision blurred when my head collided with something hard, the world going grey around the edges. Lexa was on her feet the next second, striding angrily towards a shocked Raven and tearing the gun out of her hand. They began to speak with raised voices, their words clipped with anger before one of them realized that I not yet moved.

'Clarke?' Raven called, the two of them looking over to where I lay, but I was in to much pain to respond.

'Clarke!' Lexa cried, rushing over when she saw the blood that was pooling onto the ground. Crouching over me, she reached for my shoulder but I pulled away from her touch.

'Clarke, you have to let me take a look' she told me and I knew that she was right.

I nodded slightly for her to continue, this time remaining still whilst she carefully inspected the wound. I winced as she peeled my jacket off, but gritted my teeth through the pain.

'How bad is it?' I asked, though I could tell from her face that it wasn't looking good.

'Not great' she told me grimly, putting pressure on my shoulder, 'there's a lot of blood.'

'You need to bandage it to stop the bleeding' I told her, closing my eyes briefly as I was hit by a fresh wave of pain.

'Raven, you have to go back to camp and get my mom' I instructed, looking past Lexa to where Raven remained motionless.

'You heard her. Go.' Lexa called sharply over her shoulder when Raven didn't respond. This seemed to snap her out of the daze and she set off running in the direction of the camp.

Lexa returned her attention to me, ripping the material off the bottom of my shirt before wrapping it tightly around my shoulder. I cried out as pain shot through my arm, struggling to remain still as Lexa continued without pausing.

When it was finally done she sat back on her heels, wiping the blood off her hands into the ground.

'I've done the best I can Clarke, but we have to move' she told me, scanning the surrounding darkness for any sign of movement.

'Raven will be back with my mom soon' I replied quietly, not having the energy to raise my voice.

'We don't have time to wait around Clarke, you've lost too much blood already. Not only that, the Reapers probably heard the gunshot from miles away, we're not safe. We have to get you back to your camp where they can treat you' she insisted, looking back down at me.

'No, they'll be here soon' I argued weakly, I really couldn't go through much more tonight.

'I'm sorry Clarke but we have to move' she told me after a moment, leaning forwards to carefully pull me to my feet. I was in no position to resist and wrapped my arm around her shoulder as the world tipped under my feet.

Lexa pulled me upright as I began to sway, wrapping her arm around my waist to support me. We began to move forwards, every step causing a wave of agony to sweep through my body but somehow I managed to keep going. It wasn't too long before I felt my energy begin to fade and my feet started to drag as I lent on Lexa more with each passing second.

'Come on Clarke, we can't stop now' she said, her voice strained as she half dragged me through the forest.

I knew that this wasn't going to work and pulled us to a stop, propping myself against a nearby tree.

'I'm not going to make it Lexa, you should go on' I whispered, struggling to stay on my feet as exhaustion flooded through my weak body.

'I am not leaving you Clarke, we're almost there' she argued.

I didn't have chance to reply as my legs collapsed from under me and Lexa shot her arms forwards to keep me from falling.

'I said the same thing to you once Clarke and you didn't leave me, I'm not going to let you die' she said, the world tilting alarmingly as she lifted me into her arms.

She set off walking again, her pace quickening as she got into a rhythm, no longer slowed down by my injury.  
Trees flashed by me in a blur and my eyes drifted shut before Lexa's sharp voice ordered me to stay awake.

From what I could see, our surroundings were begining to brighten and I soon realized that it was the light from the gate that I was seeing. We had made it back to camp.

'Open the gates' Lexa commanded loudly, not missing a step as we approached. I faintly heard the gate being opened before we passed into the camp.

'Clarke? Can you hear me?' my mom asked worriedly, placing her hand on my face as she rushed over.

My vision was dark and I could just about see the outline of Lexa's face as I forced my eyes to stay open.

'Take her through to medical, Raven will show you the way' my mom told Lexa.

My mind drifted away from what was happening, only faintly aware of the jumble of voices that filled my head.

I felt myself being laid down on a bed, groaning as my injured shoulder was knocked.

Lexa's face swam into view above me and I wanted to thank her but before I could try to speak my eyes drifted shut and she faded away as I was engulfed in darkness.

**Comment and tell me what you thought :-)**


	6. Chapter 6

The world blurred into focus around me as my eyes slowly flickered open. I gazed around in confusion for a moment, unsure of where I was. I jerked up right as the memory of what had happened came flooding back and I winced as pain blossomed in my left shoulder from the sudden movement.

'Woah, careful Clarke, don't move so fast' my mom cautioned, rushing over from where she had been stood on the far side of the room.

'The bullet to your shoulder didn't cause that much damage so I was able to stitch and bandage the wound without to much trouble but you lost a lot of blood, so you might be feeling quite weak for a while' she told me, gently pushing me back until I was resting against the pillows behind me.

'My head is killing me' I groaned, closing my eyes as the world swam sickeningly before me.

'I'm not surprised' my mom replied grimly, 'Lexa said that you kept blacking out, so you must've hit your head pretty hard on the way down'.

My eyes snapped open at the mention of the commanders name.

'Where is Lexa? Is she okay? Has she left?' I asked, the words tumbling from my mouth.

'Lexa's fine' my mom assured me, looking slightly surprised at the urgency in my voice. 'She's been staying here for the last few days...'

'A few days!? I've been out that long?' I asked in disbelief, a lot could happen in a few days. 'What have I missed? Has Lexa said anything?'

'Don't worry, you haven't missed a thing. As for Lexa, against my better judgement, she wants us to attend a council meeting as soon as you wake up' she admitted, her disapproval clear.

Marcus cleared his throat as he waited politely just outside the door.

'Abby, I'll go and tell the commander that you're on your way' he said quietly, waiting for my mom to nod in approval before walking down the corridor.

'If you're not ready Clarke...' she began hopefully.

'I have to be.' I interrupted, and seeing that I wouldn't be swayed she reluctantly moved to help me up.

'Lexa told us what happened out there' she told me, pulling me up and out of the bed.  
I didn't reply but watched her out the corner of my eye, hoping that Raven was okay. I didn't know what her punishment would be, but whatever it was, I knew that it wouldn't be pleasant, especially if Lexa had anything to do with it. After all Raven had tried to kill her.

'Whatever you might think, it was an accident, no one was meant to get shot' I finally replied, only being partly honest. It was me who hadn't meant to get shot, Lexa on the other hand...

'An accident!?' she said in disbelief, 'Getting shot by one of the mountain men is no accident Clarke, we were going to send out soldiers to find him but with the danger of the reapers we couldn't afford to.'

I stared at her in silence, stunned at her words. I had definitely not been expecting Lexa to cover for Raven.

'You don't have to worry about that now' she continued, mistaking my shocked silence for pain. 'Let's just get you ready for this meeting.'

She then proceeded to remove my torn, blood stained shirt and replaced it with a clean fresh one. After cleaning off the last of the dirt and blood I looked just about presentable.

It had taken a while, but I was finally ready. My mom opened the door and I shuffled past her, using the wall to support me.

When we were stood in the corridor my mom turned to me in one last attempt to change my mind.

'We can always put it off for a couple of days' she suggested, worry creasing her forhead.

'Don't worry I'll be fine' I insisted, smiling slightly to prove that I was okay.

She sighed defeatedly and we continued down the corridor. As we approached the command room, I heard numerous voices from inside. After a small pause I pushed myself away from the wall to stand unsupported. Although it took a lot of effort not to lose my balance I took a deep breath before pushing through the doors, my mom close behind. It was never good to look weak in front of grounders.

Upon my entrance the noise died down and I saw that there were quite a few people in attendance, Sky people and grounders alike. Lexa had her back to me as she spoke quietly to Indra but as the noise level decreased she turned to look over in my direction.

'Clarke, I'm glad you could make it' she said formally, though I saw a flicker of relief crossing her features before it disappeared without a trace.

As everyone lowered themselves into the many chairs placed throughout the room, I walked in the opposite direction to take my place by Lexa at the front of the assembly. We were the only two remaining standing as it was us who had called the meeting. As the others settled into their places, Lexa glanced sideways at me and I nodded to let her know that I was okay. Without a word she turned back to look straight ahead, there would be time to talk later.

'Clarke and I have called this meeting to discuss one important topic, the alliance. Working together we have managed to destroy the mountain and free our people, if we continue to combine our forces there is nothing that we can't achieve.' Lexa began, her powerful voice filling the room.

'We all know that there has been renewed tension between both our people now that we have won the war, but there are new threats that we now must face together.' I continued 'The mountain men that fled into the forest have tone generators and can control the reapers. We have to eliminate them before they have the chance to attack. Both our people will work together to send patrols out to scout the area. Most importantly, we are all on the same side and if there is any conflict between a grounder and a skyperson there will be serious consequences.' I warned, 'We have just won a war, let's not start another amongst ourselves.'

Those in the room nodded in agreement, we were still recovering from the after math with the fighting against the mountain men, no one was willing to start another war so soon.

'Patrols will be sorted out very soon but for now that is all.' Lexa concluded, drawing the meeting to an end.

Chatter broke out within the group of people before the room slowly started to empty. My mom left with Marcus to go and address those outside who hadn't been in the meeting to tell them what had been discussed.

'Take the others outside and I will join you in a moment, I have to speak to Clarke in private' Lexa instructed, turning to look at Indra who began calling orders in Trigedasleng.

Soon the room had been completely cleared and it was just the two of us left.

We didn't speak for a moment, unsure of how to begin after how our last conversation had ended.

'My mom told me what you said, about what happened out there' I began when Lexa made no move to speak. 'Why didn't you tell her the truth?'.

'If any of my people had learnt that a sky person had tried to shoot and kill their commander, they wouldn't have been understanding. Then I would've been forced to take action and wage war against your people or risk looking weak. I am not looking for a war, that is why I told your mom that it was one of the mountain men that shot you' she explained.

'Thank you' I replied gratefully 'I'll speak to Raven as soon as I can. What will you do now?'

'Now that we've spoken to our people I will return to my village and begin sorting out patrols to search the forest for any signs of reapers. You should work on doing the same with your soldiers' she advised.

'Lexa, I wanted to say thanks for bringing be back, you could've easily left me' I thanked her after a moment.

'Leaving you behind was never an option.' she replied honestly.

I gave her a small smile before I turned to leave.

'Before you go Clarke, I just wanted to say that...what happened between us...before the attack on mount weather...' she said, struggling to find the right words.

'It stays between us' I finished softly, looking back at her.

'The alliance is not yet strong enough for this, our people would never accept it and we cannot risk the alliance falling apart' she explained, though her voice sounded pained.

'When I said that...I wasn't ready...' I stumbled through the words.

'I know, you need time after everything that happened and I understand.' Lexa interrupted, 'now go and get some rest.'

I nodded and turned to leave, resisting the temptation to support myself on the wall. As I pushed through the door out into the corridor, Indra's eyes narrowed to slits as she regarded me with an unreadable expression. Not having the energy to work out what her problem was I walked straight past her, heading for my room. My head had begun to throb and I needed to lie down. I kept my arm close to my body so that I didn't accidently knock it on anything. I moved slowly through the numerous twisting corridors in the ark, stopping for a moment to catch my breath. I was close to the living area now and just as I was about to set off again I looked up to see Ray advancing down the corridor towards me. Cursing silently I stood up straight to face him.

'The chancellor just told us all about the renewed alliance, I take it this was your bright idea?' he asked tightly, stopping a few meters away.

'Me and Lexa agreed on the details' I confirmed, watching him warily.

'Who gave you the right to make decisions for the rest of us, some people don't want anything to do with those barbarians. I suggest you go and find your little friends and tell them to skulk back to their camp and never bother us again' he demanded, expecting to be obeyed.

I couldn't help but laugh at his words, his expression hardening as I did.

'Something funny kid?' He spat angrily, not used to being defied.

'Just you' I replied, moving forwards to try and maneuver around him, I'd had enough of his rubbish for one day and I really needed to lie down.

'I never said that you could go anywhere, I am your superior, you must do as I command' he raged, his voice growing louder as I continued to ignore him, stepping around his bulky frame.

'Don't walk away from me.' He ordered as I did exactly that. I was going to have to talk to my mom about him pestering me, hopefully she would sort him out.

'I told you not to walk away from me.' He growled and I heard the heavy clunk of his footsteps behind me. Before I could turn to face him he grabbed my arm and forcefully slammed me back against the wall. I cried out as pain shot through my injured shoulder as my back hit the wall hard.

'You should do as you're told' Ray growled, his face inches from mine. I tried to pull away but my back was pressed up against the wall and his grip tightened on my arm.

'I suggest you let go of Clarke. Right. Now.' Lexa ordered, the fury barely restrained in her voice.

Ray froze, neither of us having heard her approach, but slowly a small smile formed on his lips as he roughly released my arm, turning to face the commander.

I sagged against the wall, clutching my injured arm to my chest. Lexa stood with a number of grounders, her eyes blazing with wild anger. Her war paint made her look even more ferocious and I was surprised at how calm Ray seemed in the face of her fury.

'Maybe you should mind your own business' he warned, turning his attention to Lexa, a cruel smile on his face.

As he began to advance towards her, Indra took a step forwards and raised her blade so that it was pointing straight at Rays heart.

'Maybe you should guard your tongue unless you want that blade to pierce your heart.' Lexa replied bluntly, her fiery gaze fixed on Ray.

His smile faltered slightly at the venom in her words but as he opened his mouth to speak my mom came storming around the corner, Marcus and a few others close behind.

'What is going on here?' she demanded to know, the small group coming to a stop beside Lexa.

The commander ignored her completely and instead turned her gaze to me.

'Clarke, are you okay?' she asked, taking no notice of my moms less than pleased expression at the obvious dismissal.

'It's okay, I'm good' I told her, not wanting this to drag on any longer. It wasn't the complete truth but this had to stop now.

'Indra, put down your sword' my mom demanded, but no one was listening to her.

'Maybe you should listen to the chancellor' Ray grinned, confident that he was in no danger now that my mom had arrived.

'I take my orders from the commander, so keep your mouth shut' Indra growled fiercely, the tip of her sword now pressing against Ray's chest. My mom went to move forwards but Marcus placed a light hand on her shoulder, it would do no good for her to go barging in at this point.

'I will only tell you this once, so listen carefully' Lexa began, striding forwards to stand threateningly in front of Ray. 'Don't ever presume to touch Clarke again. Next time there won't be any talking this through, you will be dead on the ground before you can even blink and the chancellor won't be able to save you then.'

Ray recoiled slightly at the force of her words, his earlier confidence fading.

'Indra... let him go' Lexa instructed after a second.

Indra reluctantly lowered her blade though her eyes remained on Ray.

He walked carefully past her, giving Lexa a wide berth before assuming position beside the chancellor.

'I don't know what happened here but it will not happen again. Do you understand?' my mom demanded, looking at each of us individually.

When we made no move to reply, she turned on her heel and stormed back down the corridor, her group following closely behind. Once they were gone Lexa looked over at me and I nodded in thanks for the help.

She walked with me down the corridor to my room having ordered Indra to wait with the other grounders by the gate. Instead of leaving when we got to my room, she stood in the doorway as I lowered myself carefully into a sitting position on my bed.

'How's your arm?' Lexa asked, noticing how I cradled it against my body.

'Not too bad' I lied, straightening it out even though it hurt. Lexa regarded me silently, apparently not satisfied with my answer.

'You don't want to look weak, is that it?' she asked, seeing from my silence that she was spot on.

'You seem to have mistaken our ways Clarke' she said, sighing lightly. 'Pain is not weakness, we all get hurt physically or mentally at some point in our lives. No, it's how you get over your pain that shows how great your strength is. You've shown us many times that you are not weak, not one of us can question that. The only person you are trying to prove it to is you.'

I looked at her in silence, impressed by her insightfulness.

'Be careful Clarke, don't take any chances with Ray, he can't be trusted' she told me, but what she really meant was that if he did anything like that again Lexa may not be in camp to help next time.

'I know this isn't the first time' she continued and I glanced up in suprise. She was referring to the time before when Ray had grabbed me but Lexa hadn't even been in the camp.

'Indra told you' I guessed and Lexa nodded in confirmation.

'I'll be careful but you should go before it gets dark' I told her, not wanting them to risk running into any reapers.

'Just before I go' she added quietly, 'when you found out about how I had...dealt with the inhabitants of the mountain, you didn't give me time to explain that not all of them are dead.'

I looked at her in confusion, as far as I was concerned all of the inhabitants of the mountain had been killed on Lexa's command.

'When I gave the order for those in the mountain to be taken care of, I also commanded that those who had helped your friends were to spared and taken to your camp.' she continued.

'What are you saying?' I asked, running her words through my head.

'The girl, Maya, and all of the families that protected your people in the mountain are now being held for their safety in the airlocks. Your mom is working on a way for them to live on the ground without bone marrow transplants.' she told me, watching for my reaction.

A huge smile spread across my face and I felt relieved that they had not been killed along with the others. They deserved to be saved after what they had done for our friends, risking their lives in the process. I also felt a rush of guilt at jumping to conclusions earlier in Lexa's tent, in my anger I had said some hurtful things before storming off in anger.

'I'm sorry that I didn't give you chance to explain' I apologized but Lexa shook her head.

'You don't need to apologize Clarke, you know the truth now and that's what matters.' she interrupted before I could go on.

'Thank you for explaining but you should really go now before it gets dark' I cautioned again, worried about the reapers.

Lexa nodded and smiled at me once more before she turned and left to find Indra.

Once she was gone I carefully lay back on my bed. After the dramatic events the last few days it felt good to rest my aching body. I closed my eyes and thought over everything that had happened, it seemed like I had made an enemy of Ray and knew that mom would be less than pleased about how the situation had been handled. Lexa's revelation had made my day, it was good to know that Maya and the others were safe. It also reminded me that although Lexa was a grounder she wasn't as monstrous as my people believed and I would make them see this. There was still hope for us yet.

Clearing my head of these jumbled thoughts I finally closed my eyes and was asleep in seconds.


	7. Chapter 7

The forest seemed almost peaceful as I and two other grounders traveled on horseback along the path towards the grounder camp. It had only been a few days since I had woken up in the infirmary, and it had taken a lot of persuading to convince my mom that I was ready to leave camp. My injuries were healing up nicely so she couldn't use that as an excuse for me not to go.

I rode at the front of our group, now familiar with the way to the new location, the grounders riding a metre or so behind. Ribbons of sunlight pierced through the branches overhead, the shifting patterns of light casting a soft glow over the landscape. Our pace was slow as I admired the beauty of the forest, the only sound being the rhythmic beat of our horses hooves against the uneven path.

I had wanted to find Raven before I left but she was nowhere to be found. Even after searching the ark high and low I still hadn't caught a glimpse of her. After asking a few of my friends, I learnt that Jasper had seen her around a few times, but told me that she had seemed nervous, casting wary glances over her shoulder from time to time as if expecting to find someone sneaking up on her. I wanted to assure her that she was in no danger and once she was out of hiding I would talk to her properly, but for now there were more pressing issues to deal with.

I sighed and increased our speed to a trot, the grounders behind doing the same, no matter how beautiful the forest was, it didn't clear my head of what was about to happen. I had been sent word that the Mountain leader was being questioned today. I wanted to be present to hear what he had to say, but also to reason with the grounders who, without a doubt, would be intent on exacting revenge against their enemy.

As we approached, I dismounted quickly, handing my gun to a waiting grounder before entering the camp. My first thought was that there were a lot of Grounders present, too many to just be from one clan, it seemed that those from other tribes had also come to witness the events. Walking through the mass of Grounders I finally found Lexa with Indra, waiting silently for me outside her tent.

'Clarke, now that you're here we can begin' Lexa stated before striding purposefully across the camp.

I followed her wordlessly, used to the way in which the Grounders wasted no time on greetings, finding them a waste of precious time. Lexa dissapeared into a large hut that had been built to the side, away from the other huts that had been newly constructed. Indra and I followed close behind, the two guards by the entrance parting to let us through. Once my eyes had adjusted to the dark interior, I gazed around to find my bearings. Lexa and Indra stood on the far side of the hut, their gazes trained on the hunched figure in the center.

It took me a moment before I realized that it was president Wallace, his hands tied tightly behind his back and his head bowed in defeat. I felt a pang of sympathy at his treatment but I was not about to question the commander in front of him, we had to show a united front. His once pristine suit was now creased and stained with dirt, numerous rips spread across the sides from his capture. He was far from the proud, respected man that he had once been, a heavy sadness now filling his gaze as he stared blankly into space.

Sensing my dissaproval, Lexa glanced over at me, her eyes glinting even in the darkness of the dimly lit hut. The anger I saw there reminded me of what this man had done, not only to the grounders but to my people. The only reason he was standing on the ground was because of the bone marrow transplants from my friends.

'Clarke, it is good to see you again, though I wish it could be under better circumstances' the president said, his voice steady despite the situation. I didn't reply but stared at him in silence, not trusting myself to speak.

'You will not speak unless told to' Indra growled at him, saving me from having to reply.

Dante looked back at her calmly but remained silent, heeding her rough words.

'You have done many things to our people but before you pay for your crimes, tell me, where is your son?' Indra asked, the disgust she felt for the old man clearly written on her face. Cage had sent the missile to TonDc and this man was the only one who could possibly tell us where he had fled.

Dante regarded her silently for a while until I was certain he wasn't going to reply.

'I'm afraid I can't help you with that, and as for my crimes, I did what I had to for the sake of my people. Same as you' he said finally, directing the last statement at Lexa who stood motionlessly to the side, watching the proceedings intently.

'Mind your words old man' Indra spat, her hand gripping her sword hilt so tightly her knuckles turned white. 'Where is your son?'

I chewed nervously on my bottom lip as I saw the determination etched into the man's face. From what little I had seen of him in the mountain I knew that he was a man of great will who would never betray one of his own people, let alone his own son. He put his people before himself.

'As I said before, I cannot help you with that' Dante replied, his voice blank as he gave nothing away.

Fury flooded Indra's expression as she advanced threateningly towards the helpless man.

'Do not think to play games with me fool. Your blood will soon be flowing if that is what it takes to get an answer from you' she hissed menacingly, much to my concern.

I understood how much Indra wanted the location of Cage but torture was not the way to go about it. I had to step in before this got out of hand.

As Indra continued to question the president on the whereabouts of his son, I slowly circled the room, not wanting to catch anyone's attention as I came to a stop by Lexa's side.

She stood silently in the shadows, her watchful eyes carefully observing her second. From her relaxed stance she seemed fairly calm but her tightly clenched jaw said otherwise.

'Lexa, this isn't going to work' I whispered quietly in her ear so that only she could hear me. She shifted slightly at my sudden nearness but didn't move away.

'Indra has it under control' she replied after a moment, her voice matching my quiet tone. I swallowed my frustration at her words, watching as Indra circled Dante like a wild animal, staring him down with her powerful gaze.

'Indra does not have it under control, we are not going to torture him' I argued, annoyance seeping into my voice. Lexa may have been prepared to stand by and let this happen but I was going to make it clear where I stood on the matter.

Lexa's eyes narrowed dangerously as she considered my words and for a second I was sure that I had pushed my luck.

'em Pleni!' she commanded in Trigedasleng and Indra immediately stopped her questioning of the president.

'We will speak outside Clarke' Lexa told me before heading out of the hut without a backwards glance.

Indra glowered darkly at me as I passed though I took no notice and followed the commander.

'Speak your mind' she ordered as I approached. We were stood a few meters from the entrance of the hut so that none would overhear our conversation.

'Dante is not a weak man and no matter what his son has done to our people, no matter how much he disagrees with it, Cage is still his son' I began, choosing my words carefully to get my point across.

'He will not be so defiant when a blade is being drawn across his skin' Lexa replied bluntly.

'No! You can't torture him!' I exclaimed, immediately regretting my forceful words when Lexa's expression darkened.

'I am the commander and you will not tell me what I can or can't do.' she insisted, her voice dangerously low.

I took a deep breath and spoke again, this time taking care not to cause offense. Lexa was hard to deal with at the best of the times and now that we had the enemy in our hands she was going to be even harder to reason with.

'My point is, torture is not going to get us anywhere. He will not tell us what we want to know and we will just be wasting our time. We both want answers but we're not going to get them from him.' I continued, desperately trying to get her to to understand.

Lexa regarded me silently, her hard expression giving me no way of knowing what she was thinking. I gulped under the pressure of her gaze and had to stop myself from taking a step back.

'Indra' Lexa barked, not taking her eyes off me as we waited for her second to appear.

'Heda?' the warrior said, as she left the hut, striding over to where we stood.

'The prisoner is not going to disclose any information with us, torturing him would be useless.' the commander said and I blew a sigh of relief at her words. I was thankful for her ability to listen to reason despite the overwhelming urge she felt for revenge, not helped by the pressure she was under by her own people.

Indra on the other hand seemed less than pleased with her commanders decision but did not speak against it, instead leveling her icy glare at me.

'Bring the prisoner out. It is time he accounted for his crimes.' Lexa ordered and I watched with a frown as Indra returned to the hut.

'I know that you wished for a peaceful outcome without bloodshed' Lexa spoke, seeing my guarded expression 'but he must die, justice must be dealt.'

I nodded in response, knowing that this was one decision I could not influence, no matter how much I wished that I could. Now that the war was over I felt that too many lives had been lost and yet the killing continued. I was sick of the death and destruction but the grounders would not rest until blood had been spilt. A stir spread through the mass of grounders that filled the camp as Dante was led outside, blinking pitifully as his eyes adjusted painfully to the sudden light.

Indra growled and pushed him on when he stumbled over the uneven ground, much to the amusement of the surrounding grounders, who jeered mockingly at him. Despite the harsh treatment, Dante remained collected, not once reacting to the hateful cries or showing any sign of weakness. I felt a grudging respect for the old man who remained strong even in the face of death. The commander and I stood side by side as he passed, leveling us with a sorrowful glance. Not sadness for himself or his impending fate, but for those of us who would forever feel the weight of those that we had condemned to die.

'Do not try to stop the proceedings Clarke' the commander warned lightly, 'my people would not appreciate your meddling, especially not when the one you would be defending is cloaked in the blood of our warriors.'

Her words were not threatening, but she would not be able to help if I made a move to oppose her. Though I wished it could be different I knew that nothing I did would change the outcome. At least I had managed to avoid what would've been a long and slow torture, though Dante had brought death upon himself when he had begun his attack on the grounders.

'You know how I feel about this but you have my word that however much I may disagree, I will not intervene.' I promised, though the words weighed heavy, they were truthful, and satisfied that I wouldn't cause a scene Lexa nodded in response.

'Then let us go and do what must be done' she replied, moving forwards through the crowd of roaring grounders to where Indra was restraining the old man to a tree that stood in the center of the camp.

I followed a second later, my heart heavy with apprehension of what was about to happen. I took my place silently next to Lexa as the noise around us fell away when she lifted her hand for quiet. Indra finished with the ropes and took a step back to stand with her people.

'The time has come for our people to be avenged. For years we have suffered as this man has turned those we love into monsters or taken them into the mountain to be drained of their blood. But now his reign is over and he stands before us to pay for his actions, only with his death can justice be payed' Lexa spoke, her words met with a roar of approval from the grounders.

I felt sick to my stomach as Lexa stepped forward, unsheathing her sword as she approached the president, the light glinting fiercly from the sharp blade. I averted my eyes as she prepared to strike, not wanting to witness the gruesome scene. The president held his head high in the face of death, not showing any sign that he was fearful in the slightest.

'Heda' Indra called, halting Lexa at the last second. The commander turned her gaze on her second, waiting for her to continue.

'May I have the honor of delivering the fatal blow?' she asked, 'my brother was one of those turned into monsters, I wish to kill the one who subjected him to such a cruel fate'.

Her tone held a sorrow that I had never heard before from the cold warrior and I felt the pain in her voice.

Lexa relaxed her stance and nodded in permission to her second before walking to my side. I was almost relieved that Indra would be the one to kill the president, it would be one less death on Lexa's hands.

Her face was expressionless as she took her place next to me, our shoulders brushing as we watched Indra draw her sword.

'Do not look away Clarke, my people will think you pity him' Lexa said, her voice barely audible.

Indra fixed the president with her icy stare, a small smile of satisfaction on her lips as she drove the blade into his heart without a word. The mountain men did not deserve the words of passing that the grounders recieved at their death. The grounders roared and stamped their feet as I forced myself to keep my eyes focused straight ahead, my breath catching in my throat as the president looked at me one last time before the life drained from him, his lifeless body sagging limply against his restraints. His eyes had held nothing but acceptance in his final moments, no regret for his actions and no fear of death.

Lexa rested her hand lightly on my arm, unnoticed by anyone else, as I slowly released the breath I had been holding.

'Be strong Clarke, the mans death may have appeared brutal but it was necessary, after the pain he has caused us we should not waste any time mourning his passing' Lexa said softly, her touch lingering for a second longer before she was gone, silently striding towards her tent, effectively bringing the gathering to an end.

The grounders soon dispersed from the clearing, many returning to their own clans now that justice had been answered. I turned my back on the gruesome scene, swallowing thickly to hide the emotion that threatened to swamp me.

Another name to add to the ever growing list of the dead.

I had to be strong, Dante was dead and now I had to focus on keeping my people alive, I would bear the weight of a thousand deaths if it meant that those I cared about were safe. Turning my back on the nightmarish scene I walked away, death hung heavy over the clearing like a dark cloud and I needed to take a moment to collect myself. I skirted around the few Grounders that remained and headed through the tree's until I reached a small creek running quietly through the forest, an area of tranquility in the surounding madness.

Taking a deep breath I knelt to splash some of the cool water on my face, relishing in the way that it seemed to wash away my heavy thoughts from the last hour. I closed my eyes and let myself enjoy the momentary peace.

I lept up in panic when I became aware of a presence behind me. I'd let myself relax and dropped my guard. Cursing myself for my carelessness, I whirled to face whatever stood behind me. My hand reached for the gun on my hip but I was just grasping at empty air, the grounders had taken it from me at the entrance of camp. Not only was I unprepared, I was unarmed and not feeling very optimistic about my chances of survival.

The tension drained from my body when I saw that it was Lexa stood barely a meter away, her eyebrow arched in amusement at my reaction.

'If I was an enemy you would be dead now' she informed me, watching calmly as I struggled to control my rapid breathing, pressing a hand against my racing heart.

'Maybe you shouldn't be sneaking around, scaring the life out of people' I snapped in response, angry at myself for not keeping a closer check on what was happening around me. I could've sworn Lexa smirked at my response but it was gone so quickly I couldn't be sure.

Scowling fiercly I turned away from her, not wanting to embarress myself further. The grounders had the infuriating ability to walk silently over the ground, unlike those of us from the ark who, according to Lexa, trampled through the forest so noisily she was surprised that the ice clan didn't hear us.

'What are you doing out here anyway?' I finally asked, seeing that she had no intention of going anywhere.

'I'm waiting for the return of a patrol I sent out a few hours ago, they should be returning any minute now' she explained, and I realized that of course I had picked the one place to go for some peace where I wasn't going to get any. Just my luck.

'Didn't you bring any guards?' I asked puzzled, realizing my mistake when I turned back to see the smile spreading across Lexa's face. Of course she had brought a guard, she never went anywhere without one. I had yet again highlighted my lack of attention which seemed to amuse the commander to no end.

I glowered darkly as I stalked past her, furious at my inability to not make a fool of myself. The two grounders stood less than a metre behind their commander, regarding me with mirth from where they were cloaked in the shadows of the nearby tree's, only visible if you looked hard enough.

'You should pay more attention to your surroundings Clarke, next time it could be an enemy sneaking up behind you' Lexa called after me as I returned to camp, her voice light as it carried through the trees.

Despite my annoyance I knew that she was right, I would have to be more careful next time. Not looking back I continued to trek through the woods until I arrived back at the camp, less crowded now that some of the grounders had returned to their own clans.

I vaguely noticed that the presidents body had been moved, the only sign that something had happened was the dark, crimson blood stained into the ground. I quickly looked elsewhere, not wanting to dwell on the past. The smell of roasting meat flooded my senses and I glanced around hungrily to see where it was coming from. The grounders had started a large fire not to far away and were now cutting through the tender meat, each grounder taking a piece for themselves.

I watched hungrily as my own belly growled but without the commander here I didn't want to risk going to get anything in case the others took offense. Sighing regretfully I turned away from the feasting grounders and jumped slightly when I saw a figure stood a few meters away.

'Clarke, leader of Skaikru,' the grounder greeted me as she approached 'my name is Echo, I was one of those that were freed from the mountain.'

Bellamy had told me about the grounder that had helped him in the mountain, he'd said that he wouldn't have been able to succeed if not for her help.

'Bellamy has told me much about you' I replied, seeing her face light up slightly at my words. It seemed that maybe there was more between them than Bellamy had been letting on.

'I brought you some food, we are all grateful for what you did at the mountain, if not for your help I would still be a prisoner.' she thanked me, pushing a plate of freshly cooked boar meat into my hands.

I smiled at her in thanks before she turned and walked back to where the other grounders were eating.

I stared after her for a few moments, surprised that she had been so open in thanking me. It looked like I had a few allies in the camp after all.

My stomach growled hungrily, reminding me of the food in my hand and I searched the camp until I found a fallen log to perch on, tearing hungrily into the food as I watched the grounders go about their duties.

**_Sorry for_****_such_****_a_****_long_****_chapter, I just_****_got_****_so caught up in it_****_! _**  
**_Comment and tell me what you thought_****_:)_**


	8. Chapter 8

Just as I finished the last bite of the delicious meat, I saw Lexa emerging from the edge of the forest, with what I assumed was the patrol following behind. Even from a distance I could see her tight lipped expression and quickly gave my plate to a passing grounder as she approached.

'Lexa, what did they find?' I asked when she stopped in front of me. She called out a few words in Trigedasleng, the grounders behind her disbanding until only her two personal guards remained.

'Nothing, they found nothing. Just like the last patrol, and the one before that.' she told me, frustration filling her voice. I felt slightly deflated at the news but we couldn't give up now, Cage was out there somewhere and we were going to find him, no matter how long it took.

'Are you sure the patrols didn't miss anything?' I asked, wincing when she pinned me with a murderous glare.

'My warriors have tracked stealthier things than Mountain Men' she hissed angrily, 'if my patrols return without a lead, it is because there was none to find. They would never, as you so tactfully put it, _miss anything.'_

My eyes widened slightly in suprise at her tone but I didn't comment, not wanting to anger the commander further.

At my lack of response, Lexa shut her eyes and took a deep breath.

'I did not mean to speak so harshly Clarke, my fight is not with you' she said but I waved her apology away.

'You don't have to apologize Lexa, it's been a tough day' I told her, my breath catching when she opened her eyes and I saw the full depth of emotion swimming in her intense, green eyes.

She smiled softly at me, understanding filling the silence between us. It was rare for Lexa to drop her guard which is what made her so menacing, it was rare for her to let anyone see how she was really feeling which made these rare moments even more special.

'Now that you have eaten, we are leaving for camp Jaha, the horses are being readied now. I want to see if your patrols have been having any more luck with the tracking' she explained, her carefully composed mask once again slipping over her features, but now that I had seen what lay underneath, it didn't seem half as effective.

We headed towards the end of camp where a number of grounders were already atop their horses, it seemed that we were the last ones to arrive.

Lexa swung herself easily up onto her white horse before waiting as I did the same.

I wobbled slightly in the saddle after having pushed off the ground with too much force, but soon regained my balance.

'Your skills are improving' Lexa complimented me and I let out a short laugh as I remembered my first attempt at riding a horse. Lexa had insisted on me learning as it was a faster way to travel through the forest.

Needless to say, it had resulted in a nasty sprain when I fell hard after only a few seconds on the animal. It had taken a long time and a lot of mocking from the grounders, but I was now as comfortable as I would ever be, knowing that I would never be as good as Lexa who had learnt to ride in her first years.

Lexa hid a smile as she obviously had the same thought as me. With a light kick of her heels, her horse set off at the front of the group, the rest of us falling in behind.

'Clarke, would you ride with me?' Lexa called back over her shoulder, posing it as a question though I knew her well enough to understand that she was just being polite, her words were a request that I couldn't refuse.

I maneuvered my horse past the other grounders until I pulled up level with the commander, ignoring the many eyes I felt trained on my back. The commander would usually ride alone, it was unusual for her to allow company.

It was early afternoon and the forest was bathed in the golden light of the sun. It was easy to forget the dangers that lay in these woods, it's beauty gave you a false sense of security.

I noticed how Lexa never focused on one thing for to long, always scanning her surroundings for any sign of danger. I should have been doing the same, not admiring the beauty of the forest.

She rode with one hand holding the reins, the other resting on the hilt of the sword at her hip, always prepared for any danger.

'You should keep your eyes ahead Clarke, be alert of what is happening around you.' she told me and I jerked my gaze back to the path as I felt heat creeping up the back of my neck at having been caught staring.

'I spoke to Echo earlier, she gave me some meat' I said after a second in an attempt to change the topic. Lexa nodded, not looking surprised at my words.

'You have earnt respect for what you did at the mountain, many from our clan have now been returned with your help' she explained, 'we will not forget what you did.'

I felt a warm glow at her words, glad that some good had come from the destruction at the mountain.

'I wish my people were as respectful' I said wistfully. Those at the ark seemed to forget that without the Grounder army we would've never gotten our people to safety.

'It does not matter to us what the sky people think, we destroyed the mountain and rescued our people, that is what is important' Lexa replied.

We fell into silence as we neared the camp, the commander carefully eyeing the electric fence that enclosed the fallen ship.  
I remembered that this was the first time that she had seen our new defences.

'My people are fearful of the reapers' I explained briefly, though we both knew that this was not the entire reason.

'Is that all they fear?' she said, not missing the hesitation in my words.

I didn't reply, knowing that my people were fearful of the grounders as well but hopefully the alliance would sort that out.

The large gates swung open and we entered the camp, those that were outside looking up curiously at our arrival.

My friends walked out to greet us, Bellamy walking at the front with Monty and Jasper.

I suppressed a grin at their awed expressions, realizing that it was the first time they had seen Lexa after being freed from the mountain. Of course they had glimpsed her from a distance, coming and going from council meetings but it was nothing compared to being up close.

Bellamy also noticed and gave them each a sharp nudge but it had little effect. The others from the ark regarded us warily, mostly due to the fact that many of them were still uncomfortable around the horses.

'You're friends are staring' Lexa commented, not looking to pleased by this.  
'You really are something to behold' I laughed, 'I'm sure they will be honored to talk to you commander.'

She sighed lightly at my words and I didn't blame her, if it were me I wouldn't want to have to deal with the admiring group, I could tell that they were going to test her patience with their ridiculous questions and comments.

Lexa and I quickly dismounted, the Grounders behind us following suit, landing lightly on the ground despite their heavy boots.

As the horses were led away I caught sight of Raven trying to slink away before she was noticed.

I motioned quickly to Lexa who nodded in understanding before I quickly jogged over to where the mechanic was desperately trying to slip through the crowd.

Seeing that her efforts were futile she reluctantly turned to face me when I called out her name. The people around us headed back inside the ark and we were left in moderate privacy.

'Clarke, I'm sorry I haven't spoken to you...it's just that, after...well...in the forest...' she stumbled, unable to find the right words.

'Raven, it's okay' I cut in swiftly, 'I'm fine and you have nothing to worry about.'

The tension fell away from her and she slumped forwards slightly with a sigh.

'I'm sorry Clarke, I don't know what I was thinking. I didn't mean for you to get hurt and I should never have picked up that gun, it was stupid' she apologized, her voice thick with emotion.

'It was stupid but it's done now, just don't try anything like that again' I warned, not wanting to think about the consequences.

She nodded and I smiled lightly at her, glad that we were getting back on track.

'Well I'd better go, you know how it is, always something to be done.' she teased, returning my smile before she headed back to the ark.

I felt a weight lift from my shoulders as I watched her go, we had been at odds for far to long and it was past time that we made up.

The joyous smile soon fell from my face when my mom came striding towards me, her expression far from happy. I contemplated making a run for it but I knew that would just wind her up even more. I wondered what I had done wrong now.

'When did you slip out this morning?' she asked, crossing her arms over her chest as she regarded me with a deep frown.

'I went to the Grounder camp' I replied, avoiding the question. The truth was that Kane had let me go when the grounders had arrived, he understood that it was necessary for the alliance so had ordered the guards to let me pass.

Though not the chancellor, he still held considerable respect from the soldiers and they had done as he had asked. My mom would find out eventually but I wasn't about to drop him in it. Anyway, I knew that my mom would forgive him as they had become quite close ever since landing on the ground, I was certain there was something between them even if they wouldn't admit it to themselves.

'I can see that Clarke' she responded witheringly, clearly annoyed my by evasiveness. 'You spend to much time with them, you're hardly ever here.' she continued, her frown deepening when I let out a short bark of laughter.

After the day I'd just had my mom had picked the worst possible time to start on me.

'I'm doing my best to keep this alliance together becuase no-one else in this camp seems to give a damn. I've been running around trying to sort this mess out and you're complaining about me not being around enough? Maybe if you spent less time questioning what I'm doing and more time listening to what I'm saying, you could actually be of some use.' I ranted, fueling my words with the stress from the last few days, watching her face harden at my tone.

'I think you should be careful around Lexa' she went on, completely disregarding what I had just said. My anger faltered for a moment and I narrowed my eyes at her in confusion, thrown by her statement.

'What the hell does Lexa have to do with any of this? Did you not hear what I just said?' I asked after a second, my hands clenching into fists as I refused to let go of my anger.

Lexa glanced over from where she stood with my friends, having heard her name mentioned, but didn't attempt to approach, not wanting to interrupt our conversation.

'Of course I did' my mom snapped in response 'and don't think to speak to me like that again, but did you hear what I said? She isn't like us.'

I stared at her in bewilderment, unsure of what she was trying to get at.

'I've seen the way you are together and I know that you don't want to hear it, but it's got to stop. She may be a child but she is dangerous, one wrong step and you will be dead.' she warned, lowering her voice so that no-one would overhear.

'I'm just trying to look out for you Clarke. You're my little girl and I can't stand back and watch whilst you get drawn further into their lives.' she cautioned, her eyes darting around to make sure no-one was listening.

I couldn't even form a coherent response as my mind turned over what she was saying.

What did she mean she had seen how me and Lexa were together? What even gave her the right to tell me what to do anymore?

These thoughts flashed through my head as my mom continued talking, though her words were just a blur of noise. I stiffened at the mention of TonDc and decided that I'd had enough.

'Stop talking.' I cut in, not wanting to hear anymore of her pointless speech. 'Don't lecture me on my actions after everything that you've done, you lost that right a long time ago.'

She was silenced by the reference to my fathers floating, unable to argue with my logic.

'When it all goes wrong you will regret not heeding my advice, you will see that I am right, that I know best.' she stated confidently, fixing me with one last knowing look before turning on her heel and disappearing back into the ark.

I was conscious of eyes looking over at me curiously, our raised voices having drawn the attention of those remaining outside.

I ignored them and focused on trying to calm down but my thoughts wouldn't settle.

Bellamy came over to stand in front of me, a concerned look on his face.

'Clarke? What was all that about?' he asked, watching me with a frown. 'I don't think you should speak to your mom so harshly, she's just being protective.'

My eyes flew open as his words sparked fresh anger in me.

'You don't even know what you're talking about!' I practically yelled, struggling to keep my voice down. 'If I want your advice I'll ask for it'.

Bellamy's eyes widened in surprise and threw his hands up in defense. 'Woah, I didn't mean anything by it, I was just trying to help.'

I was vaguely aware of Lexa excusing herself from my friends, heading over in our direction.

Just as I was about to unleash my response, Lexa placed a gentle hand on my arm and glanced at Bellamy with a cold expression.

'Clarke, I need to speak to you a moment' she told me calmly, not giving Bellamy time to respond before pulling me gently to the side.

Bellamy huffed in annoyance but left us to it, returning to where Jasper stood with the others.

I took a few deep breaths as Lexa waited for me to regain my composure.

'You've only been back in camp for 5 minutes and you're already stirring up trouble' she commented lightly, taking her hand away from my arm.

I forced myself to smile as my anger slowly dissipated. 'Thanks for stepping in before I could mouth off' I thanked her, I hadn't meant to pick a fight with Bellamy as well. He was one of the few people that I could truly rely on and he didn't deserve to be on the receiving end of my anger.

'You're welcome, it looked like you were ready to murder the next person who got in your way' she teased, attempting to lighten the mood.

I appreciated her efforts and shrugged off my remaining anger. 'How bad was it?' I asked her, referring to her time with my friends.

'An experience I never wish to repeat' she said so sincerely I couldn't help but laugh, 'the way they looked at me, you would think I had three heads and you don't even want to know the absurd things they said to me...'

I grinned at the thought, knowing exactly what stupid things they would've said, much to the obvious displeasure of the commander.

'The sky is beginning to darken, we should hold the meeting soon. I will go and request an audience with your people, you should head straight to the command room.' Lexa suggested, knowing that I would rather not face my mom so soon after our argument.

I nodded gratefully and we both headed in our separate directions.

Looking up I saw that Lexa was right, the sky was beginning to darken and there was a slight chill in the air as evening approached and I knew it was going to be a cold night.

Picking up my pace, I hurried into the ark via a side entrance and walked quietly through the deserted corridors. It seemed that everyone else was in the dining area eating so there was hardly anyone around.

The quiet gave me a chance to collect my thoughts and I felt slightly guilty at the way I had spoken to my mom, she had only meant well.

As I navigated through the numerous corridors I pushed the guilt away and tried to focus on something else.

I wondered if our soldiers had found anything on the patrols, Cage couldn't have just disappeared off the face of the planet.

It occurred to me that he may have returned to mountain and I made a mental note to check with Lexa at the meeting if she still had warriors patrolling the entrances.

I soon arrived at the entrance to the command room, the corridor was deserted so I was the first one there. Knowing that Lexa and the others would soon arrive I pushed inside and the lights flickered on.

A chill went down my spine and I froze, feeling that something was wrong. On instinct I backed up against the wall, trying to figure out what it was that had put me on edge.

Quickly scanning the room it didn't look like anything was out of place, but I knew better than to assume.

My eyes focused on a cup that was lying on its side on the floor, drops of water spattered where it had fallen from the table.

Instantly cautious I edged along the wall, the feeling of dread growing with every second. I froze when my eyes caught sight of something on the ground.

With a sharp gasp I saw the crimson red blood pooling across the floor from the motionless body. I stepped closer, clapping my hand over my mouth when I glimpsed the mutilated body on the floor.

Pushing down the nausea that I felt, I moved even closer, a shock going through me when I recognized the body.

It was Ray.

His body had been slashed numerous times and it slowly dawned on me that it resembled a body that had been killed through Grounder tradition, the way Gustus had been killed.

Ray's face was twisted into a scream, his last moments of pain and surprise fixed on his features.

Moving even closer I bent to examine the knife that had been left, lifting it from the red pool on the floor, causing blood to dribble on my hands and down my arm.

Grimacing at the feeling, I swallowed thickly and looked closely at the weapon. It was definitely a grounder knife, there was no way of denying that.

Before I could process this information the door behind me slid open and the sound of many footsteps filled the previously silent room.

'Clarke? Are you in here? I agreed to the...' my moms words came to an abrupt stop when she saw me in the dim light, crouching over the motionless body.

In a panic I whirled to face her, my breath catching when I saw that she wasn't the only one there. Most of the soldiers from the Ark, a number of grounders that had ridden with me to camp, even Kane. They all stood together, staring at me in horror.

Finally my eyes fell on Lexa and I registered the mix of surprise and confusion that spread across her face. Her usually perfect mask, shattered by the gruesome scene in front of her.

I felt blood trickling down my arm and glancing down I noticed that I was still holding the knife in my hand. It dawned on me that this couldn't look any worse, they thought that it was me.

'You...killed him' Kane whispered, his voice cutting through the tense silence.

Ignoring him I took a step forward and looked pleadingly at my mom, desperate for her to understand.

'Mom, I didn't-'

The words stuck in my throat when the soldiers simultaneously lifted their guns at my sudden movement, a harsh click sounding as they released the safety.

'Clarke...' my mom began, watching me carefully, her voice neutral. 'I need you to drop the knife.'

I let out a shaky laugh and flicked my gaze over everyone gathered in the room.

'You can't think that I...'

I stopped when I realized that was exactly what they thought. I glanced at Lexa once more but her eyes were fixed on the body behind me, not even registering my existence.

My eyes burned with tears but I blinked them back, doing as I was told. The knife fell from my hand and clattered to the floor by my feet.

The second it hit the ground the soldiers were moving, demanding that I place my hands on my head.

In the confusion of the several shouting voices I shied away from the guns pointing at me but lifted my hands to rest on my head, gasping sharply when I was roughly forced to my knees a second later, pain shooting through my legs from the impact.

At this moment Lexa sprung into action, pushing her way through the soldiers to get to me. She managed to knock a few out with hard blows to the back of the neck but she was quickly stopped when a number of guns were pointed in her direction.

After ordering her warriors not to attack she turned with a low growl to my mom. 'Abby this isn't right and you know it, she's your daughter'.

My mom appeared not to have heard her as she gazed blankly at the dead body. 'She may be my daughter but I am the chancellor and she is now a criminal.' she finally replied, her face void of any emotion as she lifted her eyes to look at me.

'Take Clarke to the cells, and keep her back' she ordered, gesturning to Lexa.

The soldiers grabbed me roughly and pulled me across the room, the crowd of people parting to let them through.

'It wasn't me, I didn't kill him!' I cried desperately.

In a last ditch effort, I squirmed and kicked in an attempt to get free but the soldier just tightened his bruising grip on my arm.

In the end another soldier came to help as I kicked and fought to get away from them, all the while those in the room looked on in silence. There was nothing they could do to help me.

As the energy drained from my body, exhausted from my struggles, I lifted my teary eyes and my gaze fell to Lexa who was watching me with such a pained expression I felt my heart break at the utter hopelessness that filled her eyes.

She had advanced forwards until her chest pressed against the gun directed at her, stopping her from moving any further as it aimed straight at her heart.

My gaze stayed on her until I was dragged through the doorway and her face disappeared from view.

**_Thank you to every one leaving comments, it's really appreciated. I hope you liked the chapter :)_**


	9. Chapter 9

I was barely aware of my surroundings as the soldiers guided me through the ark further then I had ever been before, it seemed that extensions had been built on around the back since it landed that I hadn't discovered. My mind was too busy trying to process everything that had happened to even begin to focus on where we were going.

After being pulled through a maze of corridors I was shoved roughly into a small metal chamber before the huge door slammed shut behind me. I quickly glanced around to take in my new surroundings.

Though not to small, it was hardly welcoming with the harsh metal interior glinting dully in the dim florescent light. The lack of windows made me feel even more enclosed and I struggled to push down my emotions as I remembered my time in isolation before being sent to the ground.

This time I didn't even have anything to draw with, that was the only thing that had kept be sane during the 11 months of solitary confinement. I lowered myself onto the metal bench that lined one side of the room that acted as both a sitting area and a bed, trying to make sense of what was happening.

I looked down at my bloodstained hands as images of Rays body flashed through my mind. I couldn't believe he was actually dead. The faces of those in the command room came to mind and I remembered the shock that had first appeared, closely followed by horror at my supposed actions. Groaning at my predicament I put my head in my hands and attempted to sort through the muddle of thoughts invading my head.

Ray was dead and I had been set up for his murder. I definately had motive, it was no secret that we disliked each other, though I could count on one hand the number of people that truly liked the man, everyone else just put up with his swelling ego. If that wasn't enough, being caught stood over the body, murder weapon in hand, covered in blood, eradicated any misgivings that they might've had about my involvement. Without a doubt I looked like the most guilty person imaginable. It couldn't have looked more believeable had I actually committed the murder. It struck me that after all this time I hadn't even thought about who had actually killed him. I didn't think there was anyone besides me who had any reason to want him dead, and to kill him in such a horrific way they must have had a damn good reason.

I was broken out of my thoughts when the cell door began to open and I jumped to my feet, expecting the soldiers to have returned. To my surprise and relief it was Raven who appeared, not saying a word as she stepped forwards and wrapped her arms around me.

'You can't stay out of trouble for five minutes can you' she joked, trying to lighten the mood. I smiled into her shoulder at the gesture, appreciating the effort.

When she finally released me I took hold of her arm and pulled her down to sit beside me on the bench.

'They really went all out on this place didn't they?' she observed, taking in my dismal surroundings.

'They were hardly going to put me in luxury accommodation' I reasoned, though I agreed that it could've been better.

'What are you doing here anyway?' I asked curiously, not having expected a visitor so soon. Raven pulled her eyes away from the metal interior to look at me.

'I convinced Kane to let me come down here and tell you what's happening. I just wanted to check you were okay really.' she explained and I appreciated her concern. 'The council is in an uproar, no-one knows what to do with you. They'll most likely be having a meeting soon to make a decision, though I don't know how you're going to get out of this one.'

I sighed though it was nothing I hadn't expected, I was glad that she hadn't tried to sugar-coat it, the last thing I wanted was half truths.

'The Grounders had to leave camp pretty quickly, the council have suspicions that they were somehow involved with Ray's death even if they can't prove it.' she continued, the two of us then sitting in silence for a moment, each lost in our own thoughts.

It had crossed my mind that a Grounder had killed Ray but I quickly dismissed the idea, there wouldn't have been any body to find if it were a Grounder kill and they certainly wouldn't have killed him in our camp, they were smarter than that.

Raven looked down at her watch before jumping to her feet. 'I'd better go, you're mom doesn't know I'm here so I can't stay long.'

She paused when I noticeably stiffened at the mention of my mom, I didn't even want to think about her right now.

Raven looked like she wanted to say something but I spoke before she had a chance, I didn't want her sympathy.

'Thanks for coming Raven, I really appreciate it' I told her, imaginy the work it must have taken to convince Kane to let her visit.

She nodded in acknowledgement and promised to keep me updated before she was gone, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I didn't know how much time had passed until the door next opened and a hard faced guard entered, placing a bowl and cup on the floor, not caring when the contents sloshed over the sides. He kept his eyes on me the entire time, not turning his back as he stepped out of the cell and slammed the door shut. I smirked grimly at the realization that he was afraid of me, after what had happened to Ray I was a threat not to be underestimated. I moved across the room, grimacing when I saw the sludge of left over food that had been slopped into a bowl.

Ignoring it completely I drank the water from the cup, barely quenching my thirst before it was all gone. If I ever got out of here I would be having a sharp word with someone about the poor service, not that anyone would listen or care. Returning to the metal bench I lay down and closed my eyes, attempting to get some sleep while I could.

Raven visited regularly to give me updates on what was happening, though it was never good news. The latest I'd heard was that the council were intent on serving punishment but couldn't currently decide on what approach to take. I had stopped her at that point, not needing to hear anymore. Since then the visits had been stopped and I was told that access had been restricted to council members only. I decided that I'd been in here long enough, I'd be damned if I was just going to sit around and wait whilst the council decided on how to punish me for a crime that I hadn't even committed. I had to get out of here.

I'd escaped Mt Weather so this shouldn't be any different, I just had to wait for the perfect oppurtunity. I began to take note of my different guards, sizing each of them up in turn.

It seemed that I only had two on rotation, one was the large, bulky man that I had first seen. He would be tough to take down, partly because of his size but also as he was the most wary of the two. On the other hand, my second guard was slightly smaller in build and a lot more certain of himself, I decided that he would be my target. He underestimated me and I could use that to my advantage. Whenever the guards entered with my meals I would remain on the bench, knees drawn to my chest, head hung in defeat.

The larger guard didn't seem fooled by my act and remained alert, not trusting that I was as harmless as I looked. The other guard had no such worry, he would casually walk in and hardly look at me, dropping the meal on the ground before strolling out. His carelessness would be his greatest downfall. The next time he entered I was where I had been each time before and he dropped the meal on the ground like he had many times in the past.

This time as he turned to leave, I lept up from my position, noiselessly moving across the room, aiming a powerful blow at the back of his neck before he even had time to register what was happening. He went down hard, slamming his head forcefully on the metal door before he fell unconscious to the ground.

I stared at his form in silence for a moment, hardly able to believe that it had been that easy. Not letting myself relax I quietly stepped over his motionless body and peered down the empty corridor. Only when I was certain that it was clear did I allow myself to take a few calming breaths, now I had to find my way out.

The guard had no weapon on him which at first I was surprised about, but I then realized that unlike the guard, my mom had obviously not underestimated me, having told them to remove their weapons as a precaution if this situation ever happened. The last thing the council wanted was me walking freely around the ark, armed with a weapon.

Moving down the corridor, I stuck close to the wall to make myself less visible, peering around corners to check that the way was clear. After a few minutes I finally began to recognize where I was and picked up my pace, but in my haste I had forgotten to keep checking behind me and hadn't noticed the guard quickly advancing from the direction of my cell.

'Hey, stop where you are' he commanded, resting his hand on the gun at his hip as he began to jog towards me. Shooting a panicked look over my shoulder I began to sprint in the opposite direction, grunting when I rounded the nearest corner and collided with a guard moving towards me.

He seemed just as surprised as me and I quickly tried to maneuver past him, though his confusion soon passed when he saw the guard racing down the corridor behind me, shouting orders to take me out. Seeing that he wasn't about to move, I brought my fist up with as much strength as I could muster, punching him square in the face, feeling bones crunch at the impact. The soldier cried out in pain, clutching his broken nose as he stared at me in shock, not waiting for him to recover I shoved him to the side and started to run again. Before I could get very far I saw a number of guards charging up the corridor towards me, the others must've have radioed for backup. Turning quickly, I desperately looked for a place to go but both ends of the corridor were steadily filling with guards. The first man that I had been running from was striding towards me, not hurrying now that I was trapped.

Well that escape went well, I thought bitterly as he got closer. That lasted all of five minutes.

I had no more time to think as I lunged forwards in a last attempt to get away, my efforts unrewarded when he merely shoved me back, grinning cruelly as he attacked and his fist collided with my face. My head snapped back and my vision blurred for a second as I struggled to stay upright. My eyes watered as I turned back to face him, not having chance to recover before he grabbed me by the shoulders and slammed his knee into my stomach, causing me to double over in pain. With one finally kick to the ribs I toppled over, aware of little but the pain radiating through my body before everything went dark.

When I came to, I was greeted with the familiar shine of metal from my cell wall. I was sprawled on the ground near the back of the cell, my face pressed against the cool floor, allowing slight relief from the throbbing in my cheek. I groaned as I attempted to sit up, unable to locate where the pain was coming from, it felt like my whole body was aching. I almost jumped when I saw the figure sat on the metal bench, my surprise soon turning to annoyance when I saw who it was.

'You have multiple bruises on your body, most noticeably your ribs and face, you should take it easy for a few days' my mom advised, though her tone was not that of a parent but of a medic.

I chuckled dryly at her words, not caring about the intense pain the movement sent rushing through my face.

'Thanks for the concern, _Chancellor, _but I don't think I'm going to be doing much locked up in this cell' I retorted sarcastically, not bothering to hide my disgust.

She sighed at my words, closing her eyes momentarily as if deciding how best to handle me.

'You knocked one of my guards unconscious and broke the others nose' she stated with dissaproval and I couldn't help but smile. At least I could still throw a decent punch.

'This isn't funny Clarke, there will be serious consequences for this' she scolded with a frown.

'Careful, you almost sound like you care' I hissed in reply, pulling myself into a sitting position, resting my back against the wall behind me.

My mom didn't reply, glancing up at the security camera in the corner of the room.  
'I have been fighting in your defense Clarke but you don't make it easy. First what happened with Ray and now your escape theatrics.'

'Come on, how many times do I have to tell you that I didn't kill him!' I cried in exasperation, out of everyone I would expect my own mother to believe me.

'Clarke, you were found stood over his body with the murder weapon in your hand. You threatened him right in front of me and half the population of the ark on multiple occasions. You had an argument with both me and Bellamy that day, maybe Ray said something or grabbed you again, was that the final straw, when you decided to kill him? Because that's how it looks Clarke.' she said, taking a deep breath after her sudden outburst.

I stared her in silence for a moment before I replied.

'Do you really thin I'm capable of that? Killing one of our own people?' I asked, my voice breaking slightly as I anticipated her answer.

She didn't reply immediately, getting up from where she had been sat to bang twice on the metal door before looking back over her shoulder at me.

'I don't know what you're capable of any more Clarke' she whispered, stepping outside when a guard opened the door for her.

Four guards then entered and I saw they were carrying long chains in their hands.

I didn't resist as one guard clasped the cuffs on my wrists, the others feeding the chains through an iron ring that had been newly fixed into the wall on my right. I kept my gaze fixed on my mom, allowing her to see every one of my emotions but she remained composed, only a flicker of sadness crossing her features, showing me that there was at least a small part of her that did still care. When they were finished, the guards backed away from me, still wary even though I was chained up.

'I'm sorry Clarke, the council felt that it was necessary' she said, a hint of sorrow in her tone before she to stepped out of the cell, pulling the door shut behind her.

As it clanged shut I let my head fall back against the wall behind me, a hot tear running down by bruised cheek.

For a moment I let myself be overwhelmed by the sorrow before I pushed it down, hardening my heart against the pain. I would not allow myself to show weakness, I had to be strong. Closing my eyes I let my mind drift, not dwelling on thoughts of the present, instead pulling at the chains on my wrists, testing their strength. I was vaguely aware of guards coming and going every so often with my meals but I did not care and the food went untouched. I had become accustomed to the heavy clonk of the guards boots but when the door opened again I noticed that the steps were light, almost hesitant as they approached.

My eyes flew open and I wondered if I was imagining things when I saw Octavia's concerned face looking down on me.

'Damn it Clarke, you look like crap' she whispered and just like that I knew that she was real. Without waiting for me to reply she quickly knelt down to where I was sat on the floor propped against the wall and went about unlocking my cuffs with a small key.

I watched her in confusion not understanding what was happening.

'What are you doing?' I asked, my voice raspy from not having water in far too long.

'What the hell does it look like I'm doing?' she answered in annoyance 'I'm getting you out of here.'

Once my wrists were free from the cuffs she draped one of my arms around her shoulder and heaved me up from the floor. My body burned in pain after not having moved in so long but I was soon standing unsupported.

'We don't have time for questions so I'll give you the basic outline. I'll lead you through the ark until we get outside, from there you head around the back and slip through the fence, Raven has turned it off so you don't have to worry about getting fried.' she told me, pulling me out of the cell and through the unfamiliar corridors.

'What about the guards?' I asked in confusion, wondering where they all were. Looking out the window as we passed I saw that it was dark out and assumed that they had waited until everyone was eating or sleeping to get me out.

'Bellamy and the others have it sorted, we just have to get out of here' she insisted, guiding me around another bend. I was relieved to hear that my friends hadn't given up on me but felt a pang of worry, they were risking so much in helping me.

Glancing up at the walls I noticed that all of the security cameras had been disabled so there was no evidence left on tape. Most likely Monty's handy work, he had always been good with technology.

'Come on we have to get you out of here tonight' she said, pulling me through a side door and out into the open air. I relished the feel of fresh air on my face for a second before Octavia snapped her fingers to catch my attention.

''What do you mean you have to get me out tonight? What's going to happen?' I asked, hearing the urgency in her voice.

Octavia didn't look at me for a minute, the faint light from the surrounding torches highlighting the range of emotions that flickered across her face.

'When we were on the Ark, if one of us murdered someone they would've been floated. Let's just say that things haven't changed that much' she explained, lifting her eyes to mine.

Octavia didn't want to say it outright but I understood what she was trying to get at, the punishment for murder was execution, the council must have decided that I was to be killed for the crime I had comitted.

I took a minute to process this before pushing the new information aside, for the minute I had to focus on what was happening here and now.

'What happens when I get out of the camp?' I asked, running the plan through my head.

'Lincoln will be waiting to take you to the Grounder camp' she replied, smiling slightly when she saw my wide eyed expression. 'We managed to convince Lexa to give us some time to get you out before she stormed the camp with an army of Grounders.'

Lexa had been willing to attack the camp for me? I could see why Octavia had wanted to try her way first.

'Now go before you get us both caught' she insisted, stepping back until she blended in almost completely with the shadows.

I nodded in thanks for the help, not needing to express my gratitude with words. A second later I turned and headed towards the back end of the Ark, steering clear of the torches that would give away my position.

Once at the rear end of the ark, I glanced around in search of guards but there was no-one in sight, so I stealithily crept forwards until I got to the fence. Not wanting to waste time checking that it was off I had to trust that Raven had pulled through, and slipped through the wires, breathing a sigh of relief when I wasn't thrown back by a pulse of electricity. Once through the fence there was barely a meter of solid ground before it fell away into a deep pit filled with deadly stakes. My resolve faltered at this point as I doubted I could jump the distance.

'Clarke, you have to jump, I'll catch you' a hushed voice whispered in the dark and glancing up in panic I saw that Lincoln waited for me on the other side of the ditch.

My heart pounded at the thought, but before I could talk myself out of it I broke into a fast run, pushing off the ground with as much force as possible when I got to the edge, propelling myself over the gaping pit.

Please don't let me fall, I thought desperately as I reached the other side, my boots only just managing to scrape the edge before they slipped on the earthy ground. My hands scrabbled desperately for something to grasp as I felt my body falling, but then Lincolns arm shot out and caught mine in an iron grip, his strength the only thing stopping me from plummeting to my death. He grunted from the exertion of supporting my entire weight but somehow managed to heave me up onto solid ground, the two of us landing heavily as I was pulled out of the pit. We lay still for a moment, both of us breathing hard. Lincoln was on his feet first, pulling me up after him.

'Come on we have to move, we're not safe yet.' he told me, I nodded in agreement and we set off running across the open ground.

I only allowed myself to stop once we had reached the treeline, my breath coming in wheezing gasps as I turned back to look at the Ark. I couldn't see any movement so I assumed that no one had noticed me missing yet, but it wouldn't take them long.

'Come on Clarke, we have to keep going' Lincoln urged, noticing that I had stopped.

I looked over at my old home one last time before I turned my back on the metal ship and followed Lincoln into the darkness of the forest.

**_Sorry for the lack of Clexa but I promise next chapter will be all about them. Hope you liked the chapter, comment and tell me what you thought :)_**


	10. Chapter 10

Travelling through the forest at night was always the most dangerous time, though there was no other option as daylight would've been to risky and we'd have exposed ourselves immediately. At least this way we had remained unnoticed as we fled from the ship. Though still nervous of the dangers that lurked in the sinister forest, I was thankful that I had Lincoln to guide me, he knew these paths like the back of his hand so there was little chance of us getting lost and I had no doubts that he would be able to defend us if the need did arise.

We only stopped once the entire way, pausing about halfway to catch our breaths though I could tell that Lincoln was eager to continue. He had noticed my slowing pace but thankfully he made no mention of my injuries. After the small break, he continued at a less rapid pace, we were almost at the Grounder camp and I could see him visibly relax as we passed the border sign. I tried to keep up best I could though I was starting to feel my injuries more intensely as the adrenaline wore off. He glanced back occasionally over his shoulder, the concern clear on his face as he saw my discomfort, as best as I tried to hide it, he wasn't fooled.

I spurred myself on as the trees began to thin, informing us that the camp was only just up ahead. With a final push of energy I caught up with Lincoln, the two of us side by side as we approached the camp. I felt a surge of relief when I saw the torches casting light over the entrance, the two Grounders on duty hardly looking at us as we passed, having expected our arrival. Inside the camp, a number of Grounders were moving around, they seemed tense and at first I didn't understand why, the usual collection of warriors around the fire was absent as they crept nervously between their huts.

It soon became apparent when my eyes fell on Lexa, who was pacing the camp in a wild fury, her eyes narrowed dangerously as if daring anyone stupid enough to approach her. She radiated anger and it was no wonder the Grounders all seemed so on edge, I had never seen the commander so furious. They didn't want to risk doing anything to put them on the recieving end of her anger. As we moved further into the light, a few of the Grounders began to notice our presence, stopping what they were doing to gaze expectantly at us.

Lexa prepared to unleash her rage when she saw them idle, but the tension soon drained from her face, her expression softening when she saw me and Lincoln. A second later she strode towards us, calling instructions over her shoulder in Trigedasleng, causing the Grounders to jump into action around the camp. Lincoln bowed his head respectfully as the commander approached but she barely glanced at him, her attention focused entirely on me. Nyko hurried behind her, ready to do his commanders bidding.

'Bring her to my tent' Lexa instructed when she saw how I was swaying slightly, my legs weakening beneath me. I was hardly in a position to protest as Nyko gently took hold of my arm and guided me across the camp. Lexa spoke a few words of thanks to Lincoln before following us inside.

'May I put her on the bed to better asses her injuries Heda?' Nyko asked formally, still wary of his commanders unpredictable mood. When she nodded in assent he gently lowered me onto the bed, lying me down on the collection of animal furs.

Lexa brought me a cup of water and put it carefully to my lips. I savoured the refreshing liquid, not having drank since escaping my cell. Once finished she placed the cup on the stand and took a step back to give Nyko more space.

I watched her expression tighten as he gently pulled my shirt up to reveal the collection of dark bruises that covered most of my stomach. I gritted my teeth as he began to carefully probe the area with his fingers, assessing the damage. I sucked in a painful breath when he reached my ribs where the pain intensified, causing me to clench my fist in response.

'Enough' Lexa ordered sharply, seeing my discomfort and Nyko immediately withdrew his hands, moving around the bed to inspect my face instead. I had yet to see how bad it looked, but judging by how much it hurt, I could tell that it was a less than pretty sight.

Nyko refrained from touching my injured cheek, merely scanning his eyes over it before standing back to deliver his report to the commander.

'She has recieved a number of bruises that will take a while to heal, but nothing life threatening. No bones are broken and with some rest she will be fine, though she shouldn't take part in any strenuous activity for the next few days' he advised, clasping his hands behind his back as the commander considered his words.

'Very well, that will be all for now' she said, dismissing him with the slightest nod of her head, moving to stand by the bed.

Nyko looked almost relieved to be leaving, making a beeline for the exit, thankful that he had managed not to upset the commander, which would have possibly resulted in him losing his life. I didn't doubt for a moment that in her current mood she wouldn't have thought twice about it, acting first and thinking later. As Nyko left, a young Grounder rushed past him into the tent, not bothering to ask permission to enter in his flustered state, his eyes widening in suprise when he saw me laid out on the bed, my shirt pulled up to expose my stomach.

When Lexa pierced him with a murderous glare, he respectfully averted his eyes before the commander stepped between us, blocking his line of sight for the sake of my modesty.

'What do you want? she growled as I desperately tried to pull down my shirt, my face burning bright red with embarrassment.

The Grounder mumbled something in Trigedasleng, stumbling over the words as he squirmed under the commanders steady gaze. Lexa thought for a moment when he fell silent before turning to face me, the steely glare momentarily replaced by a more tender look.

'I'm afraid I will have to attend to this, but I will not be long. You should get some sleep and rest, I will return soon' she told me in a soft voice before the two of them left, the young Grounder scurrying fearfully infront of her.

My eyes started to droop and before I could even begin to wonder what had happened, I sunk into a deep and peaceful sleep, exhausted after my recent ordeal.

I sighed contentedly and snuggled deeper into the bed as I reluctantly began to wake, I couldn't remember the last time I had been so comfortable. This was the best sleep I'd had in a while, my previous cell not having been built with comfort in mind. I allowed myself to enjoy the warmth that surrounded me, not wanting to ever move. I eventually tried to roll over but groaned when my body protested at the movement, deciding for the moment to stay where I was on my back. Cracking my eyes open, I squinted slightly at the light flooding my eyes before they adjusted and I lay in confusion for a moment, not recognizing my surroundings.

As I started to remember the previous night, it slowly dawned on me where I was. In the commanders tent, in the commanders bed. Slowly turning my head, I saw that Lexa was sat on her throne, casually playing with her knife as she watched me with a hint of a smile.

'Morning commander' I mumbled quietly, at a loss for what to say.

Lexa made no move to reply, not taking her eyes from me as she absentmindly twirled the knife in her hand. From the amount of light filling the tent I assumed that it was well into the morning and I realized that Lexa hadn't slept since I had arrived last night and felt a rush of guilt at taking up her bed.

'I'm sorry you didn't get to sleep, you should've woken me' I told her, but she waved my apology away.

'I only got back about an hour ago and you needed the rest. Besides, I don't sleep that much anyway' she replied, putting the blade away and standing to move towards me.

She pulled back the animal fur that had been draped over me, I hadn't noticed it earlier but I guessed that was what had made me so warm. It definitely hadn't been there last night so I assumed Lexa had put it there when she'd returned. For some reason this made me want to smile but I refrained when Lexa wordlessly offered me an outstretched hand, knowing the effort it would take for me to rise unaided.

I nodded in thanks and lifted my arm, she grasped it firmly and pulled me up in such a way that it wouldn't hurt my bruised stomach. Even so I gasped in pain, pulling my arm out of her grip as I swung my legs over the side of the bed. Lexa regarded me with a mixture of concern and confusion, not understanding what she had done to hurt me. After a moment she lifted my arm with steady hands from where it had been cradled by my side, her movements slow so as not to cause me any pain.

Keeping her eyes on mine to watch for any sign of distress, she gently rolled back the sleeve of my jacket, revealing the raw wound that had been previously concealed. A growl escaped her lips when her eyes flicked over the obvious result from the metal cuffs. I hadn't even known I'd injured myself when I was pulling against the chains, testing their strength.

'Nyko' she roared over her shoulder, the healer rushing in a second later, head lowered in respect.

'Yes Heda?' he murmered, coming to a stop just inside the entrance, not daring to move any closer.

'Get me some bandages' she ordered, her eyes remaining on my wrists as Nyko hurried to his tent.

'They chained you up' she whispered, her fingers hovering over the wounds. I could only nod, there was nothing I could say to that, only confirm what she already knew.

When she lifted her eyes to mine they were filled with a mixture of sorrow, anguish and fury but it was not me these feelings were directed at. Nyko returned with the bandages but as he approached Lexa held out her hand for them, Nyko hesitating a second before giving them over.

'Heda? Are you sure -'

'I am perfectly capable of applying some bandages, now leave' she snapped, not bothering to look as he backed out fearfully.

We remained in silence for a few minutes as Lexa crouched in front of me and carefully wrapped the bandages around my damaged skin. I tried to ignore how close we were, trying to look anywhere else but at her as I desperately thought of something to say.

'You have all of the Grounders on edge' I commented as she gently tugged the binding tighter, her expression one of pure concentration.

'They are smart to know when not to get in the way of my anger, it is not them I wish to take it out on' she replied, and I knew exactly who she wanted to take it out on, my people.

'Octavia said that you were ready to take the camp by force' I said, recalling the conversation from the ark.

'I would fight a thousand battles to save you Clarke but Octavia made me understand that you would not approve of my actions, that you would never forgive me, but even then I still considered it. Even if you hated me, you would be alive and well and that is what matters.' she told me fiercly, looking up at me with a powerful gaze.

Neither of us looked away for a moment before she dropped her head to focus once again on my arm. I was overcome with a wash of feelings at her words but kept my expression neutral, the two of us falling into a comfortable silence.

'What happened?' she asked quietly, finishing the first arm and moving onto the second. She was doing a good job and I doubted Nyko could've done better.

Lexa waited patiently to hear how I had obtained my injuries and I thought for a moment how best to answer, not wanting to give her even more reason to dislike my people.

'I managed to escape my cell but the guards soon cornered me in the ark, I tried to fight one of them and this is what happened' I summarised briefly, not wanting to go into depth. 'I did knock one of them out though and broke the others nose, so it was me who started it.'

Lexa frowned at my brief explanation but didn't push for more details, sensing that I was unwilling to talk about it.

'Where did you dissapear to last night anyway?' I asked, swiftly trying to change the subject.

'It was nothing for you to worry about, Octavia was stopped at the border with a sky person, I believe her name was Raven. After what happened I told the guards not to let anyone from the Ark into camp for your safety' she replied, having anticipating that the council would want me returned.

'I just had to go and see for myself who it was before I gave orders for them to be allowed in' she continued.

Raven was here? I was eager to go out and see her, wondering what news she would have. From the amount of time Lexa had been gone last night I was pretty certain she was already filled in, leaving it to Raven to talk to me later.

Lexa soon finished bandaging my left wrist and stood back. I looked down and admired her work, not knowing that she was skilled in medicine, even my mom couldn't have picked a fault with it. When I next looked up, Lexa was watching me with an unusual expression, one that I couldn't quite decipher.

'You shouldn't of had to go through that Clarke, you're people call us savages yet they do this to one of their own?'

'My people think that I killed Ray, I'm just a criminal in their eyes, they want me to pay for my crimes. I saw your face in the command room but I couldn't tell what you were thinking. Do you think I did it? That I killed Ray?' I asked almost hesitantly, afraid of what the answer might be.

Lexa's face softened at my question, her tender expression one that I was not used to seeing.

'You did not kill Ray Clarke, I know you and it is not in you to kill one of your own people, no matter what they have done to harm you in the past.' she replied and I couldn't help but feel relieved that someone believed in me, there was no doubt in Lexa's voice and I wished that everyone else had the same confidence in me that she did.

'I still can't believe he's dead. And to be killed in such an awful way...' I shuddered as I remembered the pain and fear etched on his face and couldn't begin to imagine how awful his last few moments must have been.

'It does not do us any good to dwell on those who are gone, especially those who do not deserve to be remembered.' Lexa advised, her tone sharpening at the mention of Ray.

She moved over to the table in the corner and began to study the maps intently, her expression suddenly guarded.

'Even after everything he did, surely even he didn't deserve such a horrific death?' I said, not wishing that fate on anyone.

Lexa's gaze remained unchanging as she stared unblinkingly at the table in front of her.

'Some people are more deserving than others' she said so quietly I hardly heard her, but before I had time to inquire further a voice called out for permission to enter. Lexa glanced up in annoyance but finally told them to come in, standing up straight as the Grounder entered.

'Heda, Indra wishes to speak to you in her private quarters' he reported, eyes fixed on the far side of the tent, not daring to look his commander in the eye. Lexa frowned slightly before glancing over at me.

'Clarke, you wiill remain here and rest' she told me, turning to the Grounder before I could protest. 'You will take post outside and make sure no-one leaves or enters until I return'.

I stared after her in disbelief as she exited the tent without another word, frustrated that she hadn't even given me a choice. There was no way I was getting out of the tent for a while and I resigned myself to the fact that I was just going to have to wait. I began to walk carefully around the interior of the tent, not stopping until the sharp pain in my stomach receeded to a dull ache that was more bearable. After a while I returned to sit on the bed, tapping my foot impatiently as I wondered how much longer I would be waiting. I jumped up when Lexa did finally return, what msut have been no more than twenty minutes later, looking tired after having been awake for so long. She had told me earlier thay she didn't sleep much, but even she needed at least a few hours. My irritation at being ordered to stay put fell away when I saw her exhaustion.

'You should get some rest Lexa, you look like you could use it' I suggested, though it didn't seem to go down well.

'And what will you be doing?' she asked as she poured herself a cup of water, though she seemed to be well aware of what my response would be.

'It would be great to go out and get some fresh air' I replied, knowing better than to demand my freedom, that would only guarentee immediate refusal. If I had learnt anything, it was that Lexa didn't like being told what to do. She sighed lightly, seeing that I wouldn't give up.

'The guard will stay with you at all times and you will not leave the camp under any circumstance. I will be out once I have slept' she told me, and though I wasn't entirely pleased with the arrangement I was just thankful that Lexa hadn't made me stay inside any longer.

After agreeing to the conditions I pushed past the flap and left the tent, inhaling deeply as I lifted my face to the sun, enjoying it's warmth.

'Hey Clarke! Over here' Raven called out and I saw them stood by the fire, waving frantically to catch my attention. I grinned at them and headed in their direction, the Grounder Lexa had assigned following a discreet distance behind.

Raven shoved a plate into my hand and piled slices of meat onto it before even saying a word. 'Looks like Octavia got you out safely. After what we did to save your sorry ass it's a good thing she succeeded.'

I grinned and tucked into the food, the three of us finding some logs to perch on nearby. We fell into pointless conversation for a while, keeping things light for the moment. As we ran out of ways to avoid the subject I finally decided to ask the dreaded question.

'So what's happening back at camp' I asked Raven, not sure I even wanted to know.

'They found your cell empty shortly after you got away, the council was furious and it didn't take them long to connect the dots before they figured out where you'd gone' she replied, now completely serious.

'None of you got caught though?' I asked, not wanting to have gotten any of my friends in trouble for helping me to escape.  
'They have their suspicions that we were involved but they have no proof whatsoever so they can't tie us to anything' she told me, looking quite proud that they had gotten away with it.

'They're pretty intent on getting you back but your mom is doing her best to stop them sending a group to retrieve you, we all know how well that will go' she continued, smiling when she saw my frown.

'Clarke, your mom was working with us the entire time. Ever since they put you in that cell we've been working on a way to get you out of there and your mom was working on the council, delaying any decisions they were making. She had to act the way she did so that the council wouldn't think of her as biased and vote in a new chancellor, then she would have been powerless to help.' Raven told me and I was uncertain of how to feel.

Even if this was true, I was grateful that she had been on my side all along, but I couldn't be sure that she believed my innocence, if she still thought that I'd killed Ray it made little difference.

'It looks you're staying here for the time being' Octavia said in the quiet that followed. It hadn't been something that I had thought about but I could hardly return to the ark, especially not after finding out about their plans to have me executed for murder.

Not wanting to dwell on the negative points, Raven quickly started pointing fun at Octavia to take our minds of the predicament. I only partly listened as they exchanged insults, thinking instead about how this was going to be resolved. Would my name ever be cleared or was I going to have to stay here a lot longer than planned? Not even wanting to focus on the endless possibilities, I tuned into what my friends were saying, something about Raven's chances of survival if she were ambushed by enemies. Octavia laughed, predicting that the mechanic wouldn't last 5 minutes on her own.

'Come on Octavia' Raven laughed, smacking her friend lightly on the arm 'at least I fight better than Clarke, she only managed to land one punch before she got her ass kicked. Maybe next time she won't let them drop kick her face.'

Octavia smiled tightly, having noticed me frown at the comment, though Raven hooted with laughter, completely oblivious. I self consciously brought my hand up to my cheek, tracing a finger down the bruises I had yet to see.

'Is there something amusing Skygirl?' a soft voice spoke, carrying across to where we sat.

Turning my head I was surprised to see Lexa stood only a few paces away, her gaze resting solely on Raven, a deadly gleam in her eye that betrayed the cool tone of her voice. Raven's laughter quickly died away, her face turning pale in a matter of seconds. Octavia quickly stood when she saw the commander, nodding respectfully before pulling Raven up, dragging her across camp before she said anything else that would endanger her life. Lexa came to sit beside me once they were gone, dismissing the Grounder that had been watching over me. I noticed that she looked a lot better than she had earlier, refreshed after her sleep.

'You shouldn't listen to what the girl says, do not let her words bother you' she said, having seen my reaction to Raven's remark.

'I'm not, but she's right. I should've defended myself better.' I admitted, absentmindedly fiddling with the sleeve of my jacket as I remembered my unsuccessful attempt to escape.

Lexa placed her hand on mine to stop the movement, my breath catching when I lifted my eyes to hers.

'You did the best you could Clarke, though if you are willing to learn, I could teach you how to fight' she offered, I could only nod in agreement, unable to form the words.

'Good, then we begin as soon as your injuries have healed' she replied with a small smile, withdrawing her hand before standing and heading over to the fire to get herself some food.

I took a deep breath, trying to collect myself before she returned, not understanding the effect she had on me with a single touch. Shaking my head I regained my composure, thinking instead about what I had just agreed to. If I was to be staying here for a while it made sense to do something productive with the time I had, learning to fight seemed just as good an option as any. I was going to show everyone what I was made of, never again would I let someone get the better of me if it came to a fight.

I could barely contain my excitement at the thought and told myself that it was just the prospect of learning to defend myself, but looking over to where Lexa stood by the fire, I knew deep down that there was another reason why I was looking forward to these lessons, and it had more to do with the company than the fighting.

**_Hope you all liked the chapter_****_, comment and tell me what you thought_****_:)_**

**_I will have the next chapter out as soon as possible_****_. More Clexa to come!_**


	11. Chapter 11

I soon had my own tent in the camp, not to far from Lexa's, away from the crowd of huts that the other grounders resided in. It was good to have a place to stay, though it was hardly used in the day, only providing a place for me to sleep at night. Just over a week had passed since Lincoln and I had arrived, in which I had done very little apart from explore every inch of the camp, not able to do much else under Lexa's watchful eye. If she wasn't checking up on me every five minutes, not succeeding in her attempts to be discreet, then a Grounder would be assigned to shadow me so there was no chance of me slipping out of camp. To be fair, if Lexa wasn't keeping me under such close observation I would've snuck out days ago, feeling an irresistible urge to just wander through the forest and take in my new surroundings but no such luck.

It hadn't helped matters when on the second day of my stay, a horse had bolted without warning, tearing away from the Grounder that had been tending it. Of course I had been taking my regular stroll through camp at the time, completely oblivious to the crazed horse as I let my mind wander freely, not paying attention to what was happening around me. A few Grounders began to call out in warning, having seen the horse charging straight in my direction, throwing its head wildly from side to side. Wrenched out of my thoughts by their voices I spun to see the beast heading my way and lept to the side just in time, barely managing to escape it's pounding hooves as it tore straight on past me. My landing was less then graceful as I hit the ground awkwardly, knocking my bruised ribs in the process. Lexa, who had been emerging from her tent at the time, rushed over to where I was now kneeling on the ground, clutching my stomach as I waited for the pain to pass.

'It's alright, I'm okay' I insisted, gritting my teeth as she helped to pull me to my feet, the concern clear in her expression.

Once satisfied that I wasn't injured, she had rounded on the Grounders that had been tending to the horses, demanding to know which one of them had endangered my life. When one of them nervously stepped forwards I was certain Lexa was going to kill him there and then if I had not pulled her to one side and insisted that it was my fault for not paying attention, it wasn't worth killing over. She had reluctantly agreed with the slightest nod of her head, instead commanding the Grounder go and retrieve the horse, adding that if he valued his life he should be more careful in the future or pay for his carelessness. I frowned slightly as I watched the Grounder hurry into the woods after the horse, not entirely happy with the added threat but at least no-one had died, it was definitely a step in the right direction.

After that event I was hardly surprised that the Grounder in front of me looked so nervous, fully aware of the commanders gaze resting on us. Now that my injuries had healed I was eager to start with my training and had been constantly nagging Lexa until she had finally relented. We were stood in a fairly large clearing, not to far from camp, a number of Grounders already exchanging blows around us. Lexa had wanted to assess my skill at fighting before she began to teach and had placed a sword in my hand, instructing a Grounder to take position opposite me before retreating a few steps to watch. I felt ridiculous holding the sword that felt wrong in my hand, watching how the Grounder wielded his effortlessly.

'Remind me why I am doing this again' I said to Lexa, trying to get a comfortable grip on the handle.

'You wanted to learn how to fight remember?' she responded, knowing full well that this wasn't what I'd had in mind. A sword was useful for them but I had a gun.

I huffed in annoyance but flicked my eyes over the warrior in front of me, for now I was going to be attacking, though I had a feeling that it wasn't going to be as easy as I had first thought. We took up our positions and I immediately lunged forwards, the Grounder knocking my blade aside with ease though did not follow through with an attack of his own, wary of the commanders unwavering attention. I continued my attempts for another few minutes and each time my blows were deflected easily. I definitely wasn't made for this, the barely concealed smirk on Lexa's face confirming as much.

'That will do, I have seen enough' she said, the warrior I had been attacking giving me a quick nod before retreating to the company of his fellow Grounders. Relieved that it was over I drove the sword into the ground before wiping a hand across my forehead.

'That was...interesting' Lexa commented, amusement dancing in her eyes.

'I think what you're trying to say is that I suck, you don't have to pretend Lexa, even I know how appalling that was' I huffed, not having anticipated how difficult it was, the Grounders made it look so easy.

'Do not be disheartened Clarke, it was merely meant for me to assess your skill so I could know how best to train you' she replied.

'More like you just wanted to see me make a fool out of myself' I muttered and Lexa raised an eyebrow at my comment.

'I think we can put sword fighting aside for the moment, we will start with hand to hand combat' she continued after a second, removing her armour before moving to stand opposite me, taking up a fighting stance immediately. I followed suit, glad to be moving away from sword fighting, hoping that this would be more successful. A few of the Grounders glanced over at us, seemingly surprised that the Commander was training me personally, but I ignored them, focusing purely on Lexa. With a barely noticeable nod, she invited me to attack and I obliged, throwing a testing swing which Lexa avoided easily, dancing back a few steps. Surprised by her speed I adjusted my next attack in an attempt to catch her off guard but I could barely keep my eyes on her as she ducked and rolled away from my blows. Channeling my annoyance, I threw another punch which Lexa once again avoided, sending me stumbling forwards from the power I had put behind the attack.

Before I could regain my balance Lexa landed a firm kick to the backs of my legs, sending me tumbling to the ground as my legs were swept out from underneath me. I landed on my back and the next second Lexa was straddling me, her muscled body immediately preventing me from even moving an inch, not that I could as I stared up at her dazed, my chest rising and falling as I breathed heavily from the tackle. As I attempted to recover, Lexa threw her head back and laughed, as in she actually laughed. Whatever progress I had been making with catching my breath fell away when I stared up into the depths of her green eyes, unable to stop the answering grin that formed on my face.

Lexa was the first to remember that we were not alone, the Grounders in the clearing having stopped what they were doing a long time ago to watch the spectacle in amazement. She jumped up quickly with a slight hint of red on her cheeks though it was probably just from the exertion of the fight, most likely...  
I shook my head clear when I noticed the outstretched hand and clasped it gratefully, allowing Lexa to pull me to my feet.

'You're hand to hand combat is definitely an improvement on your sword technique' she teased lightly 'though there are still many areas to work on'.

I chuckled at her words, I had not even been close to landing a punch. It was now clear to me that Lexa was a fearsome fighter and anyone that underestimated her would be dead within seconds. She soon slipped back into Commander mode, ordering the Grounders to return to training, though I couldn't help but grin uncontrollably as I followed her through the forest back to camp, four guards escorting us the short distance.

For the next few weeks we continued to train each day, focusing mainly on the hand to hand combat as this seemed to be my strongest area though I had to pick my sword up from time to time to spar with a Grounder. During one of my first sessions, after having fallen on my ass countless times, Lexa observed that it was my clothes that were causing me issues, restricting my movements and getting in the way. The next day I had woken up in my tent to find my battle gear laid carefully on the table beside me. I had reluctantly changed into it, knowing that Lexa was right, but the armour only served to remind me of our fight against the Mountain and that the threat was still lurking in the back of my mind, not that there was anything we could do about it.

As I slipped into the armor, I was pleasantly surprised by how comfortable I felt, wondering why I hadn't thought of this earlier. Pulling on the gloves I saw the extra piece that had been left, my new sword lying beside it. With a sigh I strapped it to my back, knowing that Lexa would expect me to be wearing it.  
I soon became used to the additional weight and adjusted quickly, barely noticing it after some time. Striding through camp that day I received many shocked glances from the Grounders that I passed and quickened my pace self consciously, not sure why they were staring. Lexa was waiting patiently as I arrived at the clearing, ready to start our training. Before we began I asked about the looks I had been getting, Lexa replying that her people were just used to seeing me in my usual jacket, in my armour I looked like a warrior.

'Enough talk, let us begin' she then said with a smirk and so followed another grueling few hours of fighting. Though it was tough work I was definitely noticing improvements, even Indra grudgingly commented on my progress from time to time but quickly proceeded to wipe the smirk from my face when she had me on the ground, telling me not to get cocky. I returned to my tent after another tough session with Indra, Lexa having been busy with her generals. I was stiff and tired so it was a relief to change into the more comfortable grounder outfit that Lexa had supplied for me when I was not fighting. Lexa had repeatedly told me that the weather was going to get colder and when she had noticed me shivering slightly in the breeze, she had left the outfit laid neatly on my bed.

I sighed contentedly as I pulled the jacket closer around my body, savouring the comforting warmth the fur lined jacket provided. The training session had taken place late in the afternoon so after returning for a meal it was now almost completely dark outside. After climbing into bed and moving around for a few minutes I realized that I wasn't ready to sleep yet, I still felt to alert after the training session. Pushing the covers back with a sigh I shrugged into my fur jacket and pulled the hood up before walking out into the still camp.

There were a few Grounders on patrol but the rest were in their huts, sensibly seeking relief from the cold night. Shivering slightly I wrapped my arms around my chest thinking on what to do. Glancing at Lexa's tent I saw the torch light flickering softly from inside, an idea forming in my head. Before I could change my mind I crossed the short distance between our tents and walked slowly to the entrance, the guards not moving an inch as I passed. After not being stopped by the guards I took this this as a sign that I could go through and ducked under the flap into the tent. Lexa looked up in surprise as I entered, not having expected me this late.

'Clarke? What are you doing up so late?' she asked with a frown, putting down the scroll of paper that she had been previously studying.

'I could ask you the same thing' I retorted, pulling down my hood, it was warmer in Lexa's tent than I had been expecting. I moved over to the table that she was currently stood by, numerous candles highlighting the array of maps and scrolls laid out in front of her. If she minded me being there she didn't say anything, wordlessly offering me a cup of water before we began to discuss patrols and tactics for a while. When quiet fell over the tent I thanked Lexa for helping me to train, I appreciated that she had a lot on. I then carefully added that I was thinking about learning Trigedasleng, not sure how well it would go down. Lexa nodded slowly as she thought over my proposal.

'That's a good idea, my people would appreciate your attempts to learn our language' she replied, sighing lightly when I watched her expectantly, wanting to start straight away. She gestured to a wooden chair beside me and once I was seated she began to run me through the basics. After about an hour or so I rubbed my face tiredly, barely able to keep my eyes open.

'You should go and get some sleep Clarke, Training will be difficult if you cannot stay awake' she commented and I thanked her for the lesson before stumbling tiredly back to my tent, sinking into the bed and falling asleep immediately. I rose with the sun the next day, routinely heading straight for the clearing for training when I noticed a Grounder speaking urgently to Lexa outside her tent, but the commander just waved aside his arguments before dismissing him. I jogged over to her side, curious about what was happening. Lexa would usually be waiting for me in the clearing by now.

'Clarke' she greeted warmly when I appeared beside her, though her expression was tight.

'What is it? What's happened?' I asked, noticing the Grounders that were collecting behind us.

'It seems we have visitors from the ark. I allowed their entrance but some of my people think that it is risky' she told me, explaining why the Grounder had been arguing earlier.

'I see, who is it from the ark?' I asked, it could be Raven, not Octavia though as she had only been here a few days ago and wouldn't be able to visit again so soon.

'It's Bellamy... and Abby' she admitted, my heart lightening at first before plummeting at the mention of my mother.

'I can have them escorted back to border...' she offered but I shook my head in refusal.

'It's a bit to late for that now, I want to hear what they say anyway.' I replied, movement on the far side of camp catching my eye as my mom and Bellamy emerged from the trees, escorted by a number of Grounders. We waited in silence outside Lexa's tent until they were stood in front of us. The two of them glanced nervously at the sheer number of imposing Grounders gathered in the camp, then my mother turned her gaze to me, face setting in a dark scowl as she took in my new appearance. I stared back defiantly though I could see that she was not pleased in the least.

'Bellamy and Abby of the Skaikru, what is it you are here for?' Lexa asked them, not bothering to welcome them first. Despite her cool tone I could see that it was taking Lexa all of her self control not to attack Abby after all of the suffering that she had caused me.

'We are here to speak to Clarke' Bellamy replied, my mother keeping her intense stare focused on me though I ignored her.

'Anything you have to say, do so now' she told them, Bellamy frowning at the request. I could see that he was uncomfortable talking in such a large crowd and leaned towards Lexa to catch her attention. She noticed the movement and bit down whatever she was about to say, moving her head slightly in my direction.

'I think I should speak to them alone, they are not comfortable speaking freely out here' I told her softly, my voice not audible to my mother or Bellamy who frowned at the quiet exchange.

'Are you sure Clarke? It would be safer to speak out here' she advised, taking her eyes away from Bellamy to look at me as I shook my head.

'They're not going to hurt me and if anything does happen I can defend myself now' I insisted and seeming satisfied with my answer Lexa turned back to Bellamy.

'You can use my tent for now' she told them, 'if you need anything I will not be far' Lexa directed at me as she retreated a few meters to give us some privacy.  
I motioned with my head for Bellamy and my mom to follow me into the Commander's tent, wondering what they wanted to talk to me about.  
Whatever it was, it had to pretty serious if the council had allowed the chancellor to come.

_**Hope you all liked the new chapter, the next one will be up soon. Leave a comment and tell me what you thought :)**_


	12. Chapter 12

'So what is it you want to talk about?' I asked, crossing my arms over my chest as I regarded the two of them. My mom didn't reply at first, her eyes flicking over the armour that I had worn for training and the sword strapped to my back before meeting my gaze, her dissaproval clear.

'Uh, it's good to see you Clarke' Bellamy said, breaking the tense silence and capturing my attention. He had a small smile on his face and in all truth it was good to see him to.

'Yeah, it's been a while' I replied, resisting the urge to go and pull him into a hug, there would be time for that later once I had found out what they were here for.

'I came here to see you, Abby on the other hand...' he said when he saw that I was waiting for an explanation.

'The Council sent me to negotiate your return but that is not why I came. I am here for you Clarke, because you are my daughter.' she told me, though I scoffed at her words.

'Bit late for that now, you didn't seem to bothered when I was locked up in a cell' I retorted, not intending to let her off easily. She winced slightly at the accusation but didn't bother to defend herself, not wanting to start an argument.

'The council sent us here because they have a proposition for you. They will allow you back to camp temporarily to discuss the matter of your return' she told me, changing the topic to avoid what would've been a long and messy argument. I felt a rush of excitement at the thought of returning to the Ark, but soon pushed it down, there was no way the council was just going to let me walk out of camp when they had me right where they wanted.

'Clarke, they are willing to be flexible with this, it could mean you coming back home for good' she told me, seeing the gears working in my head as I contemplated the offer.

'No' I stated, watching the hopeful smile fall from my moms face, replaced by a frown.

'What do you mean no? The council are being unusually generous with this offer, you should take it while you still can' she urged, desperately trying to change my mind.

'If that's all you came here to say then you've wasted your time, my answer is no' I replied, crossing my arms infront of me, showing no sign of being swayed by her arguments.

'Clarke, I really think you should consider it, this could be a chance for you to come back home with your friends and family' Bellamy spoke up, his tone calm as he attempted to persuade me.

'I'm sorry but my answer will not change, the only way in which I could return is if the Council recognize my innocence and clear my name, until then I will be staying here' I told the two of them, staring each of them down so they would see that my decision was final.

'You can't stay here forever Clarke, this isn't your home. Look what they're turning you into, I fear if I leave you here any longer I won't recognize you when I return' my mom said, gesturing at my appearance. I laughed humorlessly at her words, I was surprised that it had taken her this long to lecture me on how awful the Grounders were.

'I don't want you to forget who you are Clarke, the Grounders are dangerous and no matter what Lexa says they can't be trusted' she continued, changing tactics in hope of changing my mind.

'What is your problem with Lexa? For someone who dislikes Grounders so much you sure talk about them a lot. All I can say is that at least Lexa believed I was innocent, which is more than I can say for you' I hissed angrily, annoyed by her constant attacks at the Grounders.

'I do believe you Clarke but even when I was unsure I was doing everything in my power to help you escape, surely that should count for something?' she replied, astounding me with her audacity. Would she ever see that she was in the wrong? Bellamy cleared his throat to speak, stopping what would've been a fiery reply.

'On the topic of the murder, we looked into it further and found that everyone from the ark was accounted for, without a doubt, except for you. There was no way it could've been one of us' he told me carefully, watching for my reaction.

'What are you trying to say?' I said through gritted teeth, not liking where this was headed.

'What he's trying to say is that maybe you should be looking elsewhere to find who did it' my mom answered for him, her accusatory tone making it clear who she had in mind.

'You're wrong, it wasn't them' I said, shaking my head in refusal as I turned away from them, I was getting tired of this conversation very quickly.

'Clarke, it's the only explanation, you-'

'Get. Out.' I said softly though my tone stopped Bellamy short, he knew better than to push me. Laying a careful hand on my mom's arm he attempted to lead her out but she shook him off roughly.

'I know you don't want to believe it but you know we're right' she insisted, ignoring Bellamy's warning glance. I turned to her slowly, rage bubbling just under the surface as I worked on keeping calm.

'I told you to get out' I said slowly, advancing towards her dangerously. Sensing my anger she carefully began to move back as I approached before turning and leaving the tent as I requested with a deep sigh. I exited the tent a second later, Bellamy just behind me. The Grounders in the camp glanced up as we emerged though made no move to approach.

'Is everything okay?' Lexa asked quietly in my ear, appearing noiselessly by my side. I calmed slightly at her presence but didn't let go of my anger.

'They were just leaving' I replied, keeping my eyes fixed on my mom. She took a step towards us, her gaze narrowed at the commander who regarded here coolly.

'You should stop twisting my daughters thoughts against me, she may trust you but I will never do the same. She belongs home with her family, not here with a bunch of savages' she spat, oblivious to the danger she was in. The Grounders reached for the swords, not liking the threatening tone in her voice but Lexa stopped them with a slight movement.

'You say that Clarke should be at the Ark with her family, when the only reason she is currently here is because your people have decided to punish her for a crime she did not commit.' she replied, drawing herself up to her full height as she channelled all of her power as commander, my mom drawing back warily from the fire in her eyes. The Grounders began to pace restlessly behind us, staring out coldly from behind their bone masks, ready to leap forwards in defence of their leader.

'After what Clarke has had to endure at the hands of the Skaikru you should all be thankful that you still live. As for your earlier accusation, I would never think to turn Clarke against her people, I have more respect for her than that, it seems you have managed that all by yourself.' she declared, pausing a second to allow her words to sink in before continuing.

'I believe you have said all that you came to say, so now it is time for you to leave' she told them firmly, leaving no room for argument. Not that anyone would dare. My mom turned to me in a silent plea but I remained impassive and she soon got the message, she was no longer welcome.

'Clarke, the offer still stands for now, if you change your mind you know where we are' she said, casting one last look over the gathering before turning on her heel and striding away. Bellamy hesitated and shot me a small smile but he soon followed Abby when Lexa pierced him with a chilling glare. She motioned for a few Grounders to escort them to the border and they quickly went without a word. I only allowed myself to relax once they had left camp, my body sagging slightly as I let out the breath I had been holding, the previous tension having now disappeared. The Grounder's around us dispersed and went back to their duties, Lexa remaining by my side, her concerned gaze resting on me. She walked over to her tent, motioning for me to follow.

'What about training?' I asked, it was still only early morning though it seemed like a lot later.

'We can always train later' she called over her shoulder and after a second I followed her inside. She quickly crossed to the other side of the tent where she poured herself a drink, waiting patiently for me to speak. I sunk onto the wooden chair by the table, stretching out my legs whilst thinking of where to start. I told her about the offer the council were making and how they would allow me to return temporarily to discuss an arrangement.

'I don't see how they could even expect me to consider it' I went on, wanting to return only if there was no question of my innocence, I wasn't going to be labelled a murderer for Ray's death. Lexa sipped her water, having listened silently to my account of what had been discussed.

'Maybe it wouldn't be a bad thing' she finally replied, causing me to look up at her in shock, not having expected that response. I thought she would have the same opinion as me, that there was no way in hell that I would accept.

'If the council are willing to be flexible and discuss terms then what have you got to lose? From what you've told me, you would be free to leave at any time and you wouldn't be held as a prisoner' she explained when she saw my expression. 'Don't you want to go back to your home and see your friends again?'

'Of course I do, but the camp still regard me as a murderer, I don't see how it would achieve anything' I said, turning my gaze back to the table in front of me, feeling unsure now that Lexa had voiced her approval of the offer.

'You're not going to be able to prove your innocence hiding away here' she countered, and I couldn't help but agree with the logic. I had a lot to think through and there was no way I could decided straight away.

'Sounds like you're trying to get rid of me' I teased lightly, though I watched carefully out the corner of my eye to see her reaction.

'I have enjoyed your stay here and though not trying to get rid of you, I would not like to think that I am holding you back from returning to camp Jaha' she replied after a second. 'Besides, I would not like to give Abby any more reason to accuse me of taking you hostage.' she continued in a lighter tone, though my mood darkened at the mention of my mom.

'Let her think what she likes, nothing we say or do will have any effect. She even tried to blame you for Ray's death, but I made it clear what I thought about that idea' I told Lexa, though was suprised when I looked up and saw the subtle change in her expression. Anyone else wouldn't have noticed but I saw the difference and narrowed my eyes at her suspiciously.

'I was right to defend you wasn't I? Lexa...' I said as she turned away, but I wasn't going to drop it. From her reaction I knew that she was hiding something and it slowly began to make sense. The silence in the tent was heavy as I was hit with the realization that my mom had been right all along.

'You were so certain of my innocence and I was stupid enough to think that it was because you actually believed in me, but you knew that I hadn't killed Ray. They were right all along, it wasn't anyone from the ark' I worked out as the pieces began to fit together. Lexa made no move to deny the accusation, turning back to face me with an unreadable expression.

'So how did you do it? You obviously didn't do it yourself so what did you do? Order one of your warriors to slip away when nobody was looking?' I accused, my voice steadily rising as I went on.

'What, nothing to say commander? I hissed angrily, advancing a few steps towards her, infuriated by the lack of response. Indra rushed into the tent, hand on sword, having heard my raised voice.

'Heda? Is everything okay?' she asked, though we both ignored her, my gaze never leaving Lexa.

'Did it not bother you that I was being imprisoned by my people, and you did nothing to help? I thought I knew you better than that, my mom was right about you all along.' I hissed, noting the slight flash of pain that crossed her features before disappearing.

'Clarke...' she began quietly, but I wasn't ready to listen to her excuses.

'Don't you dare deny it! You have lied to me for to long' I cut in, clenching my fists in anger.

'Clarke...' she repeated again, this time in a sharper tone, not pleased with my interruption.

'Go on then, tell me why you killed one of my people and then left me to take the blame' I told her, ignoring the annoyance that passed over her face.

'Clarke of the Skaikru, pleni' Indra growled behind me, moving from where she had been silently listening to our conversation, to stand by the commanders side. 'If you would stop ranting for five minutes and allow the commander to speak this would all become clear to you' she informed me bluntly as I watched in surprise, silenced by her sudden outburst.

'It was not the commander who killed Ray, it was me' she admitted and I stared at her in disbelief, trying to process her words.

I definitely hadn't been expecting that.


	13. Chapter 13

'You...killed Ray?' I said, finding the sudden turn of events more than a bit confusing. Indra nodded in confirmation and my eyes flicked suspiciously to Lexa, it was unheard of that a Grounder made a move like that without a direct order from the commander.

'Before you start, let me explain. That day, after your argument with Abby, the Commander was searching for her to let her know of the meeting she was planning to hold, I was told to go and tell the other council members so I went into the Ark to look for them. Once I had passed on the message I headed for the command room, knowing that the meeting would soon take place.' she started to explain.

'When I arrived I heard voices from inside so I stopped to listen. It was Ray and a few other guards discussing plans on breaking the alliance. Ray was telling them that at the next meeting he would shoot the two leaders dead and anyone else who stood in his way' she told me, her expression darkening as she recounted what had happened.

'They had yet to know that a meeting was about to take place but it would be the perfect opportunity to put the plan into action. I had to make a choice and so I waited in the shadows for the two guards to pass, there was no way I could take on three of them with guns, before I crept into the command room. He didn't hear me coming until it was to late' she stated, and I had no doubt that it was true, their uncanny ability to move without a sound would've come in useful.

'You had to kill him in such a way that it wouldn't come back to you' I said, Indra nodding in confirmation. Indra was smart, she knew that if the guards body disappeared without a trace then it would be obvious that it was a Grounder kill, she had to be clever. Killing him in a way that reassembled a Grounder kill but without the usual efficiency and skill would suggest someone from the Ark had killed Ray and was trying to frame the Grounders. She must've then slipped away quickly before everyone had arrived, I had only missed her by a few minutes.

'What she hadn't planned on was you walking in and being caught with the body' Lexa spoke up, drawing my gaze.

'You knew about this?' I asked, though was pretty certain of the answer.

'Of course, when I entered the command room and saw the body I put two and two together. Indra then informed what had happened at the first possible opportunity' she replied, watching me carefully.

'Did it not bother either of you that I was being imprisoned and tried for murder when you knew exactly what had happened?' I asked angrily, though Lexa kept her cool eyes on me.]

'I was never going to leave you in there Clarke, if Octavia had not succeeded in freeing you that night I would've taken the appropriate measures. You know that we couldn't tell your people the truth' she told me, and as much as I hated it she was right, I would've done the same in her position. If the Ark had found out that Indra had killed Ray, I would've been found innocent but the alliance would be a thing of the past, most probably resulting in a war.

With my mind buzzing with this new information I turned away from the two of them, Lexa making no move to stop me when I left the tent, respecting my need for space. I strode through the camp and out into the forest, past the training ground to where I knew the river was. It had become my place of sanctuary, no one from camp ventured this far, so I could be alone with my thoughts.

I lowered myself onto one of the many rocks that were scattered near the water, resting my head back on the tree behind me and closed my eyes with a gentle sigh. I felt overwhelmed by Indra's revelation, wanting nothing more than to prove my innocence but without destroying the alliance. I felt no anger towards the warrior for killing Ray, she had acted as best she could in the situation. If she had chosen differently both Lexa and I would most certainly be dead.

Dismay flooded through me at how I had handled the situation, not giving Lexa a chance to explain, I was just as bad as those from the Ark that had condemned me, jumping to the conclusion that Lexa had been the killer. I cursed myself for my lack of thought, the last thing I wanted was to ruin whatever trust we had begun to build between us over the last few weeks. I should've been expressing my gratitude to Lexa to show her how much it meant that she had taken me in, accusing her of murder was no way to thank her.

It was almost midday though the air was still chilly and I let the biting cold distract me from my wandering thoughts. I lost track of time as I remained by the water, not intending to return to camp just yet, savouring the quiet that was so rare to come by. A darkness fell over my closed eyes and I reluctantly opened them, slightly surprised to see Octavia, her shadow falling over me. She didn't speak so after a second I gestured for her to sit, watching as she perched herself carefully on a nearby rock.

'I thought you might want some company, you've been gone quite a a while' she said when I made no move to say anything.

'Don't worry I'm sure the Grounder that's been following me will keep me safe' I replied, having been aware of his presence since I left camp, no doubt sent by Lexa.

'You're learning' Octavia said with a small smile, impressed by my improving observation. I smiled in return before resting my head back on the tree again.

'I asked Indra about what happened earlier, I could hardly miss the loud voices, and she told me everything' Octavia told me, turning her gaze out over the water.

'What? Indra was losing patience with my questions so she told me to shut me up. Besides, I'm not going to tell anyone, I know what's at risk' she continued defensively when I raised an eyebrow in her direction. She had a point, out of everyone, I knew that I could rely on Octavia, she wasn't going to risk the alliance and tell anyone.

'Is Lexa angry with me?' I asked tentatively, not sure I wanted to know the answer, she had every right to be after my accusation.

'How should I know' Octavia replied, jumping up swiftly from the rock and holding her arm out towards me 'Why don't you ask her?'

I hesitated for a second before allowing her to pull me to my feet. She had a point, I wasn't going to achieve anything hiding out here in the forest. We turned away from the river and headed back through the trees towards camp. We walked in silence for a while, Octavia gliding easily over the uneven ground as well as any Grounder. I watched her in admiration and tried to copy her movements, surprised by how easily I picked it up, barely making a sound compared to my previous blundering. Octavia smiled slightly when she saw what I was doing and nodded encouragingly to let me know that I was doing well.

'So I heard about what your mom and Bellamy came to tell you, anything you want to talk about?' she asked, ducking carefully to avoid a low hanging branch.

'I think I'll go back to the Ark, just to hear what they have to say' I told her, having thought long and hard about what to do I had finally made my decision. Octavia nodded slowly, not looking surprised by my reply.

'You're mom was pretty certain that you would change your mind so she left a message for you when you did' Octavia replied and I looked over at her sharply, annoyed that my mom had just assumed that I would agree.

'She said that you should go to camp Jaha one week from today, they will be expecting you' she went on when I nodded for her to continue. One week, at least I had some time to prepare for the return. I hadn't been back in so long I had no idea what to expect.

'At least you're innocent in this murder' she commented and I came to a halt, Octavia stopping a second later when she noticed I was no longer by her side.

'What's that supposed to mean?' I said, narrowing my eyes suspiciously at her as she sighed lightly.

'Nothing, I shouldn't have said anything, let's just keep moving' she replied, though I wasn't ready to let this go.

'We're not going anywhere until you give me an answer' I said, annoyed by her obvious deflection.

'Fine, but you asked for it' she replied, anger sparking in her eyes and I had a fairly good idea of where she was going with this. 'You may have been innocent of murdering one guard, but you're still guilty of killing hundreds at TonDc, maybe they should be putting you on trial for that instead.'

She advanced slowly as she spoke, her voice dripping with a venom I had rarely heard directed at me. My hand twitched towards my weapon but I refrained, this was not going to turn into a fight.

'I thought we were done with this Octavia, I thought you'd moved on' I said through clenched teeth, sick of the reoccurring rift between us. Octavia threw back her head and laughed humourlessly, her glare icy when it landed on me again.

'I will never forget what you did that day, neither you or Lexa. Tell yourself what you like to feel better but their blood is on both of your hands, no matter how hard you try to move on it will always be there, a constant reminder. The heartless Commander and her warrior Princess, the two of you were made for each other' she spat, each word hitting me like a punch.

I opened my mouth to retort but stopped myself short, focusing instead on our surroundings.

'What? Nothing to say Clarke? The truth hurts doesn't it' she growled darkly, moving to recapture my attention.

'Octavia, be quiet' I cautioned, my eyes flicking over the forest behind her, every sense tingling.

'Don't tell me to-'

'Octavia!' I whispered harshly, shooting her a desperate look which she thankfully noticed, closing her mouth quickly.

'What?' she finally said after a second of silence, similarly glancing around us.

'Where did the guard go?' I asked, distracted by Octavia's out burst I had only just became aware that we were now alone.

'Probably just gone back to camp, if this is some stupid attempt to change the subject I-'

'Will you shut up and listen' I interrupted sharply, not having time for another argument. 'He wouldn't just go back to camp, something's wrong'.

Octavia seemed to get the message and switched her focus to our surroundings, silence falling over the forest. It was an unnatural silence, one that I soon recognized as dangerous. I slowly drew my sword as Octavia did the same, the two of us moving carefully through the forest once more.

'Octavia I think I know what-'

Before I could finish a chilling growl sounded and a dark shape sprang from where it had been hiding in the nearby undergrowth, concealed until the perfect moment. Octavia let out a sharp cry when it's claws raked down her leg before she slashed back with her sword, her blade cutting a jagged wound across the Panther's side. It retreated with a yowl of pain, barely pausing a second before lunging forwards once again. Octavia managed to scramble out of the way, avoiding it's deadly claws whilst landing another blow, this time slashing her sword over the beasts front leg.

I reached for my gun but realized that I wasn't able to get a clear shot and unsheathed my sword instead, shouting to draw the Panthers attention. It's huge head swung towards me and limping slightly it advanced threateningly, intent on claiming its next victim. When it lunged I was ready, slipping easily to the side as its jaws snapped shut not an inch away. It staggered slightly due to the injuries it had obtained and I used that moment to drive my sword forward, straight between its ribs. With a loud howl the beast pulled away, dark blood dripping from the gaping wound left by the sword. Having had enough, it retreated and fled through the trees, leaving a trail of blood in its path.

I quickly put the sword away and ran over to where Octavia had heaved herself to her feet and was wrapping cloth around her injured leg.

'Let's go, it might come back yet' she said, pulling away when I tried to offer her support. 'I can walk just fine thanks'.

She limped away in the direction of camp and with a sigh I followed, casting a look over my shoulder every now and then to check that it hadn't returned.

—

Indra approached as we entered camp, her eyes taking in Octavias limp and our blood spattered clothes.

'What happened?' she asked, waiting for a reply, though my attention was captured when Lexa emerged from her tent and started to make her way towards us.

'We got attacked by a panther' Octavia explained when it became apparent that my focus lay elsewhere. Indra didn't seem pleased by my lack of response but chose not to comment.

'Where is the guard that I sent after you?' Lexa asked when she came to a stop beside Indra, her gaze looking me up and down to check for injuries before even glancing at Octavia.

'We think the panther killed him, we managed to deal some damage to the beast but it wasn't going down easily' Octavia explained, wincing when she put to much pressure on her injured leg, shifting to a more comfortable position.

'Octavia, go and get Nyko to check on your leg. Indra, you take a patrol out into the woods and see if you can find the guard, if you see the panther make sure to kill it, we can't have it attacking the camp' Lexa ordered, the two of them leaving to do as commanded, Indra shouting orders to nearby Grounders and Octavia hobbling in the direction of Nyko's tent.

'You look concerned' I noted, watching her closely now that we were alone.

'Panthers do not usually roam this far, they live further south. It is unheard of for them to be seen so close' she explained, frowning slightly before shaking her worry away.

'Come back to my tent, you should get yourself cleaned up' she told me, snapping out of her thoughtfulness, turning on her heel and striding back to her tent. I followed hesitantly, unsure of where we now stood after my accusation.

A bowl of water was waiting on the table when I entered, Lexa was stood off to the side a scroll in hand and I stayed quiet so as not to disturb her reading. I went over to the table and dipped the cloth in the water, wringing it out before I looked down and carefully started wiping away the blood that had spattered over the front of my armor. Lexa sighed and wrapped the scroll back up, not pleased with whatever had been inside. I considered asking her about it but thought better of it, if I needed to know she would tell me when she was ready.

Lexa walked over and placed the scroll down on the table, unintentionally brushing my arm with hers in the process. I quickly pulled away, not sure if the commander would be upset by the contact, certainly if it had been any of her warriors. She stilled and looked at me closely, realization dawning on her face before she retreated a few steps.

'Clarke, if this-'

I turned quickly to face her and cut in before she could continue.

'Before you say anything, I understand that you might be mad at me for what I said and i'm completely okay with that, you have every right to be upset with me. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry, I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions like that' I burst out, wanting her to see that I understood. She regarded me in surprise after the sudden out burst, her face softening into a small smile. I watched her apprehensively in the silence that followed my speech, shifting nervously as I waited for a response.

'I'm not angry with you Clarke' she told me, taking a step forwards. 'You came to a conclusion that just happened to be the wrong one, you weren't to far off in the end.'

I stared at her disbelievingly for a second, not sure how she could be so calm about it. I would be furious if anyone made an accusation like that, especially someone close to me.

'It makes me just as bad as my people in the Ark, how can I expect them to see my innocence if I accuse you of exactly the same thing?' I countered, shaking my head as I felt despair creep over me.

'Clarke' she said sharply to catch my attention, moving even closer until there was hardly any space between us 'We are fine, it would take more than a small error of judgment to make me mad at you.'

I looked into her eyes and for the first time I was fully aware of our proximity, unable to stop my gaze dropping to her lips, remembering our last encounter in her tent.

Her eyes widened slightly when I sucked in a short breath, apparently remembering the same thing. We jerked apart when a rough voice called out for permission to enter, the moment passing as quickly as it had occurred. I took a few steps back, feeling my cheeks flush slightly though I turned back to the table to hide my reaction.

'Come in' Lexa called out once she had collected herself, a hulking Grounder entering a second later.

'Indra has led the patrol out in search of the panther, she requested that you send out a second patrol to cover more ground' he said, hardly taking notice of where I stood by the table.

'I will be out to organize a second patrol in a moment' she replied, the Grounder nodding respectfully before backing out of the tent. She glanced over to where I was pretending to be completely focused on cleaning my armor, though my mind was on a completely different matter.

'I will go and organize this patrol and then check on Octavia, feel free to stay as long you like' she offered, her smile informing me that she saw right through my act. When she left I dropped the cloth into the bowl, not caring when water sloshed over the sides. I had no idea what had just happened and I wasn't ready to face the mix of emotions that were currently spreading through me.

Instead I focused on what was going to happen next week, returning to the Ark was going to be testing. I was hoping to prove my innocence though with the council you could never be sure of their motives, I was just going to have to see how everything turned out. The council could be preparing to clear my name in which case I would be free to return to the Ark, the outcome which I had been working towards, but now I wondered if that was what I really wanted after all.

**_Comment and tell me what you thought :)_**


	14. Chapter 14

The next few days passed in a blur, the time going by so quickly as I tried to keep myself busy with training and Trigedasleng lessons.

I could barely keep my mind focused on what I was doing, barely avoiding the slowest attacks much to Indra's displeasure. She had growled angrily after disarming me for the fifth time in a row, quickly bringing the session to an end when she ran out of patience.

'Clarke!' a sharp voice spoke, piercing through my thoughts and bringing me back to the present.

I was in Lexa's tent for a lesson in Trigedasleng, it had been less than an hour but I couldn't remember a single thing that had been said. I looked over to where Lexa was sat on her bed, taking great care over sharpening her knife as I tried to unscramble my thoughts and think of an acceptable response.

Lexa sighed and sheathed her knife, turning her focus to me.

'Clarke you haven't heard a word that I've said have you?' she asked and I shot her an apologetic loo, not bothering to deny it. She would see straight through me.

'You've been all over the place the last few days, Indra has been telling me all about your training lessons' she told me with a smirk, of course Indra would run straight to the commander.

'This is because of returning to the Ark tomorrow isn't it?' she asked. I nodded slightly in confirmation, I felt so anxious about going back and was almost tempted not to go at all.

'I don't know what to expect, everything's going to be so different and then there's the meeting with the council' I admitted, rising from the chair to stretch my cramped muscles.

'Nou get you daun' Lexa replied, telling me to stop worrying as she watched me pace. I didn't answer, knowing that as much as I tried I wasn't going to be able to stop.

'I could go with you' she offered, my pacing coming to abrupt stop as I considered her words.

'You would?' I asked tentatively, turning the idea over in my head. I hadn't expected it though the prospect made me feel more at ease.

'If you would like me to' she replied, leaving it entirely up to me, giving me the chance to refuse. I was touched by her thoughtfulness, recognizing the gesture of support.

'Thank you, I would like that' I said, smiling at her gratefully. I would be a lot more confident entering camp with Lexa by my side. She returned my smile with a rare one of her own before she got back to business.

'Now, let's get back to the lesson' she said and we resumed our session, this time I felt more focused and we made good progress, I was a quick learner and I was picking up the language fairly quickly.

The next day I woke early, giving me plenty of time to get ready but also a chance to reconsider my decision to return. Hearing the camp come to life around me, I left my tent to find Lexa and see when she wanted to leave. I was saved the trouble when I immediately saw her in the middle of camp, fully clad in her in best armour, hair braided neatly down her back and her war paint freshly applied.

'You're up early' I said as I approached, not that she was ever a late riser.

'I had a feeling you would want to leave as soon as possible so I made sure I was ready' she replied, watching the Grounders go about their duties. Over her shoulder I saw that a group of Grounders were already waiting with the horses, ready to go at a moments notice.

There were eight of them that I assumed would be riding with us. We walked over and jumped on our horses, the other Grounders following suit.

'Don't be nervous, everything will be fine' Lexa assured me, noticing how my hands clasped the reigns tightly. I nodded in return and hoped that she was right.

As we turned to leave, a voice called out behind us, our group coming to a stop.

'Heda! Heda!' a Grounder shouted loudly as he ran towards us. Lexa looked over her shoulder as the Grounder approached and came to a stop by her horse. I recognized him as one of the Grounders that had left with Indra to patrol the forest.

'We found the guard that you sent to follow Clarke, he is being brought back to camp now. Indra sent me ahead to inform you commander, she wants to talk to you when she returns' he recited breathlessly, having run a fairly long distance.

Lexa frowned in annoyance and did not miss the desperate look I sent her way.

'Clarke, you go on ahead without me, there is no telling how long this will take and your people from the Ark are expecting you' she told me gently, Octavia having gone on ahead earlier to inform them that we were on our way.

I was tempted to stay and postpone the visit but I had to go, putting it off would be pointless.

'I will join you as soon as I can' she promised before dismounting from her horse and striding across camp to wait for Indra's return.

My stomach twisted at the prospect of arriving at camp without her but I pushed the worry down, I could do this.

'Lets go' I told the Grounders, pushing my horse into a trot, the small group falling in behind me as we left camp. There was no need for Lexa to remind the Grounders to follow my orders, it went unsaid that as a leader I held authority. I did not fully understand the politics of it but my words were always followed without question. The sky gradually lightened as we rode through the forest, making good time as we stopped only once on the way.

The camp soon appeared before us and I slowed our pace as we approached, partly to allow the guards to see us in plenty of time, but mostly to give me a chance to collect myself, drawing in a deep breath whilst pushing away my doubts.

As we closed the distance, the high gate swung back slowly, allowing us access. It shut just as quickly behind us and I couldn't help but wonder if this had been a mistake. I had no time to dwell on it as I saw Kane up ahead waiting patiently, a few guards scattered behind him.

I drew my horse to a stop in front of him, pausing for merely a second before jumping down, the Grounders doing the same behind me. If Kane was surprised by my new look he was careful not to show it, unlike many others that happened to be outside, their jaws dropping at the sight of my Grounder armour, distrustful eyes lingering on the sword at my back.

'Clarke, I am glad you decided to come, the Ark welcomes you' Kane greeted me politely, hands clasped behind his back, a friendly smile on his face.

I nodded in acknowledgement but wondered how true the statement was as I glanced at the faces around me, few of which were welcoming. Most watched carefully from a distance, not sure who was the greater threat, me or the Grounders.

'Thank you for the invitation' I replied, returning my gaze to Kane, though the words felt heavy in my mouth and I doubted that he had missed the forced tone.

'The rest of the council is currently discussing another matter, so I am afraid I must return to them. Make yourself at home, I'm sure you will enjoy taking the time to catch up with your friends' he told me, turning to leave before pausing when one of the soldiers did not follow.

One guard remained in front of me, a bitter expression on his face and I recognized him to be one of the guards that I had knocked out during my attempt to escape from my cell. I raised my chin and met his glare with a fiery one of my own, making it clear that he was not intimidating me.

'You're lucky to be alive after everything you've done, you should be thankful I haven't put a bullet through your skull' he growled darkly, ignoring a quiet word of warning from Kane to walk away.

A Grounder behind me reached for his weapon and moved forwards, curling his lip in anger at the threat.

'Bak yu op o ai na frag yu op!' the Grounder warned, telling the guard to back up or be killed.

I quickly raised my hand and he stopped immediately though his hand still rested on the sword at his side.

'Daun ste pleni, taim yu son swima op ona rein' I replied in Trigedasleng, telling the Grounder that he would just be wasting his time and he reluctantly moved back, much to the pleasure of the guard in front of me.

'Too scared to face an opponent you can't beat, some warrior he is' the soldier spat, oblivious to the danger he was in.

I was not going to have the guard killed but nor was I about to stand by and have him mock the Grounders in front of the entire camp.

'He has faced a thousand warriors far more skilled than you will ever be, he would not waste his time on a cowardly, pathetic idiot like you and I told him that if you ever threaten my life again he can kill you as he please, most likely slowly and painfully' I retorted, the guard swallowing thickly at my words.

Though not true, he did not know that and after one last disgusted look at the Grounder he backed away and went into the Ark. This time Kane did not hide his surprise, watching the exchange with wide eyes before collecting himself.

'I apologize for his behavior Clarke, this is a peaceful arrangement and he will be put in his place' Kane assured me, pausing a second before heading towards the Ark, the remaining guards following behind him.

Once they had disappeared inside I turned to face the Grounders behind me, telling them to stay outside for the moment, the last thing I needed was a fight starting inside the Ark. The Grounders seemed more than happy with the arrangement, finding the metal ship to be enclosing and stifling. One of them however did insist on accompanying me inside, which I reluctantly agreed to, not wanting to seem unprotected.

We detached from the group and approached the entrance though before we could even get within a few hundred feet, a number of my friends came rushing out to meet me, large grins plastered on their faces. Unlike the people who kept their distance, carefully avoiding my gaze, Jasper and Monty flew forwards and wrapped me in a tight hug which I slowly returned.

Raven was only a short distance behind them, limping slightly from her injured leg. She watched us with an amused gleam in her eye, seeing how I fought the urge to throw the attackers away from me. I was unused to such close contact and my warrior instinct was to throw them off, though I quickly reminded myself that these were my friends.

'Come on guys, give Clarke a second to breathe' Raven told them lightly, the two boys releasing me from their grip.

'It's good to see you too' I said with a smile. Now that I could take a proper look at them, I noticed how thin they were. It had been a tough winter and food must have been scarse.

The Grounders had lived through many winters and they knew exactly how to survive, though for the Ark it would've been difficult to get by.

'I would offer you something to eat, but I don't know if you really want any nuts or berries' Raven said, giving me an idea. I walked back to where I had left the Grounders who stood as I approached,

'Osir gaf mou dina' I said in Trigedasleng, telling them that we needed food. I selected three of the Grounders and told them to go out to hunt, ordering the rest to start a fire in preparation.

As the Grounders set about their tasks I returned to where Raven, Monty and Jasper were stood patiently, eyebrows raised in question.

'So you speak Grounder now...' Monty commented slowly, and I waited tensely for one of them to make a stinging remark but luckily none came.

'When did you become such a badass?' Jasper teased, punching me playfully on the shoulder. I smiled in return, relieved that my friends were so understanding.

Raven laughed at the comment, though it soon died on her lips when Octavia approached us.

She stood beside Monty, nodding to them in greeting before she glanced over to where the Grounders were leaving camp, spears in hand.

'I thought they only answered to the commander' Octavia said, the tension in the air slowly building around us. She turned her gaze to me, almost defiantly questioning my position.

'Lexa isn't here' I replied calmly, though my tone made it clear that she shouldn't push any further. I didn't want to fight with her again.

We stared at each other for a few moments, neither ready to back down. Jasper glanced quizzically between the two of us but kept quiet, not wanting to interfere.

'Just don't expect me to run around like your little lapdog' she finally replied, the tension falling away when she moved back slightly, wisely avoiding another confrontation.

'Come on, let's head inside to talk' Raven suggested, her and Jasper moving towards the Ark, the rest of us following close behind.

We made our way through the many corridors and emerged in the dining area where the rest of my friends were reclining in the many seats spread throughout the room. They cheered loudly when I entered, banging the tables loudly as I quickly sat with Raven, well aware of the curious gazes we were drawing from everyone else in the large room. When the clamor eventually died down I was pulled into endless conversations with my curious friends, not having seen them all winter.

I was grateful when none of them brought up the subject of my absence, focusing instead on lighter topics. As much as I was enjoying their company I was unable to relax, my focus never entirely on the people around me but on the meeting yet to come.

A strong hand clasped my shoulder from behind as I spoke to Raven and on reflex I reached back and yanked the arm forcefully, twisting at the same time to slam my opponent onto the table. My warrior instinct in overdrive, it took me a second to realize that it was Bellamy grunting in pain as I restrained myself from snapping his arm. I let go quickly once I realized and he pulled his arm back with a grunt of pain.

'Hey Clarke, nice to see you to' he muttered, eyeing me warily.

'Sorry, you shouldn't sneak up on people' I retorted defensively, returning to my seat as my friends hooted with laughter.

He came around the table to sit opposite me and I raised a questioning eyebrow when I saw what he was wearing.

'Yeah, I have a job now' he explained when he noticed my gaze, not needing to tell me what that job was. I instantly recognized the outfit that all of the Ark guards wore, slightly surprised that Bellamy had wanted to take this role.

'He's not only a guard Clarke, he's the _lead _guard' Raven mocked, making it apparent that she was not impressed by Bellamy's newly acquired title.

'I didn't see that one coming' I admitted, Bellamy had never had a good relationship with those in power on the Ark, he had after all shot the Chancellor, so it was slightly surprising that he had now taken up this role.

'I wanted to do something to help, this seemed to be the best thing going. A lot has changed in the last few months' he replied, grabbing a handful of berries from the bowl on the table.

I got the impression he was talking about more than just his change in position though didn't comment further, knowing the comment was aimed more at my shift towards the Grounders.

'What's with the bodyguard?' Bellamy inquired, noticing the Grounder stood close by. I opened my mouth to speak but Raven jumped in before I could reply.

'He's been lurking around for a while now, I'd guess to watch out for our princess. She's been on edge ever since she got here, you would think that it would make her relax a bit more but obviously she doesn't feel safe around her own people' Raven mused, talking as if I was not sat right beside her.

'I am here you know, and I can speak for myself' I said, shooting Raven an annoyed look.

'Go on then' Bellamy broke in, 'tell us why you feel the need to have a Grounder to protect you when you're with friends, or do you not trust us?'

There was a subtle challenge in his words and my friends fell quiet as they waited for my reply, apparently wanting to hear an answer. I held his stare as I thought desperately of something to say. The problem was I couldn't think of anything because he was right, I didn't feel like I could trust anyone anymore and he knew it, that was why he had questioned me in front of everyone.

'Clarke, the Grounders that you sent out have returned' Kane spoke calmly from the doorway, saving me from having to reply. Grateful for the opportunity to slip away I rose from the table and invited them all to join me before leading the way out.

The Grounders had started a fire as requested and were carefully readying the meat to cook over it. I was impressed with their findings, two large boars would supply plenty of food for the Ark if shared out equally. My friends cheered at the sight of the meat, instantly forgetting the unanswered question as they waited for the food, unlike Bellamy who fixed me with a knowing stare.

Soon the meat was ready and everyone was taking their share, tucking in eagerly and savouring every mouthful. After living off berries and nuts for so long I was hardly surprised at how they relished the juicy meat. The Grounders and I took none for ourselves, having had plenty of meat throughout the winter.

'It was thoughtful of you to supply us with this food' Kane said in way of thanks, appearing by my side as he too watched everyone eat.

'I thought it would make a nice change from nuts and berries' I replied, knowing from previous experience that it could only get you by for so long, eating berries every day for months got tiring very quickly.

'It does indeed, the Grounders are more skilled than us at taking down prey with their spears. We would use guns but that would be a waste of ammo' he said, explaining what I already knew.

I feigned interest though I was desperate to ask the question that was constantly at the back of my mind.

'I take it the council is now finished with its earlier business?' I asked after a short pause, trying not to show how eager I was to get the meeting over and done with.

'It is indeed, though we are taking some time for a break before beginning with your meeting. It could be late afternoon or early evening that you will be summoned' he explained, glancing sideways at me when I huffed softly in annoyance, quickly disguising it with a cough. I grimaced slightly at the news, it was midday now and I would rather get straight in there and get it out of the way but at least this meant there was more chance of Lexas arrival before it began, I could really use her by my side if things got nasty.

Kane politely excused himself and I watched him stride across the camp before disappearing back into the Ark. He was my most preferred council member, always having been the most supportive of the alliance with the Grounders, striving for peace even when it seemed impossible.

I would like to think that he was on my side when it came to the question of my innocence, though I couldn't be sure anymore, after all my own mother still had doubts. My thoughts were making me feel even more uneasy and I returned my gaze to the people by the fire, they all appeared more relaxed now that they had hot food in their bellies, not that I would be getting any thanks for that or even want it.

I tried to soak in the atmosphere as there was no way of telling how much longer I was going to be staying here for, depending on the outcome of this meeting I would either be accepted back, or sent away never to return. The waiting was going to be the hardest part, I just wished they would hurry up and get on with it, no matter what the end result I was prepared for anything, at least then I could put this behind me.


	15. Chapter 15

After having been waiting for what seemed like an eternity for the council to summon me, it was no wonder that I was feeling irritated. I had arrived at camp Jaha early that morning and now it was edging into late afternoon, the time having dragged so slowly it felt like much longer.

At first I had caught up with my friends, joined in on a few conversations, but after a few hours I had emerged from the Ark, unable to stay cooped up inside any longer. After trying to come up with something, well anything to do, I had finally taken to prowling the perimeter of the camp, stalking the boundary like a caged animal. The guards on duty watched from the gate with carefully concealed expressions, wary of my steadily deteriorating mood.

Even the Grounders knew better than to bother me, the only person seemingly not getting the message was my mom, who I had noticed numerable times trying to approach me though each time she was blocked by Octavia. She knew how disastrous my moms timing was and told her has much, advising her to give me some space and that I would go to her when I was ready.

My mom had eventually given up trying to find a way around Octavia, but she reminded persistent and settled down on a log by the main door to keep an eye on me. This only fueled my frustration as I continued to pace back and forth, constantly aware of her gaze.

When I was certain she was going to try her luck once more I abandoned my pacing and settled with perching with the other Grounders by the fire, one place I knew my mom would not attempt to follow me. She scowled in annoyance at my evasion but thankfully retreated into the Ark, for now giving up her efforts.

I saw Raven emerge a few minutes later, casting a searching eye around the camp, limping in my direction when she caught sight of me. She sank down onto the log opposite me without hesitation, casting a wide smile to the Grounder beside her who was carefully sharpening his sword. It was almost comical to see Raven dwarfed beside the hulking Grounder, not showing any sign of intimidation as she leaned closer to inspect his blade.

'Ooooh nice sword, I wouldn't want to meet you in a dark forest. Well actually, if I had to choose between you or Abby it would be a tough choice because she sure did look pissed just now' she told the Grounder who looked down on her with an expression of disdain, apparently unimpressed by Ravens attempt at conversation and returned to sharpening his sword, ignoring her existence completely.

I chuckled at Ravens feigned upset as she pulled back slightly, looking over at me with a cheeky grin.

'Woah, he needs to find something called a sense of humour' she told me with a wink, causing me to smile at the absurdity of the situation. Raven never ceased to amaze me and I shook my head at her in disbelief, no one else would have the nerve to sit so close to a Grounder, let alone tease him whilst he had a weapon in hand.

'That's the first time I've heard you laugh since we got here' Raven said, her tone light though she was now serious. 'What's been up with you?'

I looked down at the ground and scuffed my boot into the dirt, not knowing how to answer.

'I suppose I just want to get into this meeting already, I've spent enough time waiting' I replied, though I felt that it was more than just that putting me on edge. Raven looked like she wanted to say more but over her shoulder I saw Bellamy motioning for me, apparently to escort me to the council.

'Looks like you won't be waiting any longer' Raven said, glancing over her shoulder to where I was looking. I sprang to my feet and offered Raven a quick nod before heading over to the Ark, my anxiety growing with every step. Bellamy fell into step beside me as I approached, matching his steps to my own. I didn't speak at first, focusing on pushing down my worries without success.

'Will you be coming in with me?' I asked to distract myself from the overwhelming urge to ditch the meeting all together.

'Yes, the council felt it would be beneficial for you to have a friendly face present' he replied, and I nodded in response, my throat suddenly dry. I appreciated the gesture though his was not the face I wanted to see. I said nothing and we continued in silence until I stopped dead in realization. Bellamy paused a second later and looked at me quizzically over his shoulder.

'The council haven't relocated?' I whispered, recognizing the path that we were taking.

'No, there was no other available space to use. Is that going to be a problem?' he asked though I got the impression that it wouldn't matter if it was.

'Nope, that's fine' I lied, shaking myself to begin moving forwards again, a heaviness settling over me.

The meeting was being held in the council room, the exact place where I had been found stood over Ray's body. It would serve to remind everyone present of that awful day and I had no doubt that the council would use this against me. The meeting had suddenly taken a turn for the worst and I was not looking forward to this one bit. We came to a stop outside the council room and I paused for a second, taking a deep breath as I prepared for what was about to come. This was it, the moment of truth when my future would be decided.

Knowing that I would never fully be ready I strode inside before I could have a change of mind, Bellamy following closely at my heels. I kept my eyes straight ahead as I entered, not looking over to where I had found Ray. A florescent light glowed softly above, casting light over the room as I halted by the round council table.

On the opposite side stood the council members, each and every gaze fixed on me. My mom, as chancellor, stood in the middle of the row, the others waiting for her to speak first and begin the meeting.

'Clarke Griffin, you are here on invitation to discuss the matter of your crimes and how best they should be dealt with. The council is now in session.' she began formally, all of them then taking seats at the table. I took a seat a second later after a gesture from Bellamy who remained standing by the far wall, apparently only here to observe.

My gaze flicked over each member of the council individually, trying to gauge from their expressions what each was thinking but they gave nothing away. Obviously I knew my mom and Kane but the other four members were unfamiliar to me. The original council was a thing of the past now that the Ark had split and some members were most likely dead so this appeared to be their replacements.

Any hope I might've had of being pardoned slowly dwindled as I sensed nothing but hostility from the newest members. Kane listed my alleged crimes to the council, keeping things brief though the mention of murder and assault could hardly be spoken of lightly. Bellamy had told me that at first I was not to say anything as the council discussed my fate amongst themselves, I would have time to defend myself later.

I had to bite my lip in order to stop the stream of words that threatened to escape every time a council member spoke of me as if I was not sat right in front of them. It soon became apparent that one guy really had it in for me, consistently rebuffing any attempts by Kane to speak in favour of my actions. My hands gripped the arm of the chair tightly as he continued to drag my name through the dirt, my frustration not going unnoticed by Bellamy who shot me warning looks from time to time.

His words passed over me and I watched the man speak, noticing that he stroked his grey beard every now and again as he thought of more ways to incriminate me. In response I heard my mom refer to him as Gordan and made a mental note, I would not be forgetting his name for a while.

He stroked his beard once again as more rubbish poured from his mouth and I clenched my jaw in frustration, the entire council turning to face me in surprise when the arm of the chair actually creaked from the amount of force I was gripping it with. I quickly released my iron grip on the arm, fearing that it would snap under the pressure and nodded at the council to continue.

After a short second they did so and their conversation droned on endlessly as they debated my future. My mom and Kane were putting together a surprisingly good defense for me, aided by a lady who seemed to be leaning towards my innocence despite the furious attempts of Gordan to influence her otherwise. Tired of sitting and listening, I scraped back my chair loudly and stood, effectively drawing the attention of the council.

'Can I put forward my defense now?' I asked them, completely ignoring the look of warning Bellamy sent my way.

'You should only speak when addressed' Gordan informed me, earning himself one of my withering glares.

'We have not yet finished our discussion Clarke, your time will come soon' my mom interceded, drawing my gaze to her instead.

'You have all been talking for far too long and I think it's about time you heard what I have to say' I all but growled, my frustration barely restrained as I stared challengingly at each member. None of them looked too pleased by my commanding tone, and by the way Bellamy was cringing it seemed I had pushed them too far but I couldn't take it back now. My moms expression tightened and she gave me the _I will be having words with you later young lady_look that I had recently become accustomed to.

'We are not at that savage Grounder camp now Clarke, you do not give orders to us, you are not in charge here' Gordan informed me authoritatively, puffing out his chest in a show of dominance. He looked like such an idiot even Kane looked slightly mortified, exchanging an exasperated glance with Abby. Just as I opened my mouth to unleash the torrent of rage that had slowly been building since I had first stepped in the room, a harsh knock sounded on the door and one of the guards poked his head inside.

'What is it Riley?' Bellamy questioned the guard, the council looking relieved to have been spared my outburst.

'Sorry to interrupt sir, but I thought you would like to be informed, we have grounders approaching camp' he said formally, shrinking back slightly when I turned my fiery gaze on him. Bellamy strode across the room towards him after a nod from the chancellor and they left immediately, the council then standing to address me.

'We will postpone for a moment whilst we deal with this and resume later' Kane told me before they filed out of the room, only Gordan looking at me once in disgust as they left. I immediately started to follow them but my mom appeared in front of me, blocking my exit. I scowled at her in annoyance, eager to go and see if Lexa had arrived but my mom was not letting me go anywhere until she'd had her say.

'What the hell are you doing Clarke? Do you understand how much trouble it took to get this meeting organized? Do you think the council just agreed to have you back at camp peacefully, allowed to leave whenever you want? No. It took a lot of persuading for me to sort this out and in return you mouth off to the council and ruin your chances of aquital all because of your impatience' she ranted angrily, looking more furious than I had ever seen her before.

'Sorry if I wasn't going to sit by and listen to a bunch of pompous idiots drone on about a crime I didn't commit. How am I meant to prove my innocence if I can't even speak in defense?' I retorted just as angrily, causing my mom to draw in a deep breath to calm herself.

'I'm just thinking of your best interests Clarke but you are making things ten tines more difficult for yourself' she continued in a softer tone, knowing that she wasn't going to get through to me by shouting.

'Okay I get it, can I go now?' I replied, my mom sighing lightly before stepping back and allowing me to pass.

I practically ran through the Ark, emerging outside in record time before shouldering my way past a number of people to come to a stop beside Kane who was waiting patiently as the gate swung slowly open. It was dark now and a number of torches had been set up, casting a flickering light over the camp. This meant that I had been in the council room for a good few hours already, though a decision still had yet to be made. My mom appeared somewhat breathlessly by my side, shooting me an annoyed glance which I hardly registered, my entire focus on the figures entering camp.

I waited with baited breath as the riders came into view and my heart leapt at the sight, there was no mistaking the pure white mare at the front of the trio, nor the fearsome yet stunning warrior who gently pulled the horse to a stop, dismounting with a grace that seemed almost inhuman. Kane called out some words of greeting as the Commander approached, though they were barely acknowledged as the green eyes remained fixed solely on me. My mom muttered something under her breath, most likely a chilling remark about her least favorite Grounder but I took no notice of her.

'Clarke, what's wrong?' Lexa asked with a frown when she stopped in front of me, sensing the strained atmosphere.

'It's okay, everyone's just a little tense' I replied, Lexa apparently not satisfied with my answer as her gaze flicked to the two council members by my side.

'How about we give them a chance to talk...alone' Kane gently insisted to my mom, taking her by the arm and carefully leading her away to give us some space.

Abby pursed her lips but went along with it, knowing that there was nothing she could do without causing a scene.

'Have you had the meeting yet?' Lexa asked once they were gone, the two of us moving away from the main doors to have some privacy. I told her how after being in there for hours already I hadn't even had a chance to speak in defense, apparently that was coming up next.

'Needless to say it's not going too well' I concluded with a sigh, feeling drained though we were only half way through.

'Surely there are some council members that are more open minded?' she reasoned, trying to be more positive.

'There's obviously my mom and Kane, there's also another lady who appears to be edging towards my side but that's about it' I said, remembering the hostility I had received from the other members. All I could hope for now was that I could convince them that I was telling the truth, though I knew it was not going to be an easy task. Not wanting to dwell on my predicament any longer than necessary, I wondered what had happened back at the Grounder camp after I had left.

'What did Indra report?' I asked after a moment of silence, curious to know what could've taken so long.

'The guard was found dead in the forest, killed most certainly by numerous wounds that he received from a panther, the patrol came across it on their way back and finished it off. It was badly injured already so it went down fairly easily' she explained, not missing the quick change of subject but making no comment.

'The same Panther that attacked me and Octavia?' I asked, though I hadn't noticed any injuries on it when it had attacked and there was no way the Grounder would've gone down without a fight.

'No, it appears that a second panther attacked the two of you, when we inspected the panther that Indra brought back, it had none of the wounds that you told us had been inflicted' she continued, confirming my suspicions. This meant that there had been two panthers not far from camp, the first had attacked the guard and the second attacked us not too long after. I remembered Lexa's surprise that even one panther had been so close and judging by her frown, two was even rarer.

'Clarke, the council are ready to continue' Bellamy called from the ark, waving me over. I groaned lightly, not wanting to go back so soon but we slowly began to make our way in his direction.

'Why do you think the panthers were so close?' I asked Lexa, remembering her telling me that they usually lived much further south.

'I'm not sure but whatever the reason, it can hardly be good' she replied, the two of us falling into silence as we approached Bellamy. He regarded us suspiciously before leading us inside the Ark, obviously having witnessed our conversation.

'I would ask what you two were discussing so secretly but I'm sure you wouldn't tell me' he said, Lexa leveling him with a stare that told him he was spot on. The tension between the two of them did not help to pacify my nerves as we got closer to the council room. Lexa watched me in concern, though was subtle enough that Bellamy did not notice and I gave her a shaky smile to assure her I was okay. Though obviously not convinced she said nothing as we continued down the corridor. Bellamy stopped outside the room and looked at Lexa pointedly, crossing his arms over his chest.

'I'm afraid you can't go any further' he told her, though his tone made it apparent he was not in the least bit sorry to make this clear. Lexa arched an eyebrow at his boldness, and I got the impression that she was not about to let Bellamy tell her what to do.

'You are going in are you not?' she asked him almost politely, not threatening to end his life in a horrific manner if he did not let her pass as I had expected her to.

'Well yes, I am-' he began hesitantly, wary of the pleasant tone that was rarely associated with the intimidating commander.

'And you are not part of the council?' she cut in, not letting him get any further.

'No, but-'

'And you have no contribution to the meeting whatsoever?' she continued, Bellamy's expression tightening as he saw where this was going.

'No, but I-'

'Then you can hardly object to my presence' Lexa finished, having wound her way around Bellamy's arguments without even raising her voice.

Bellamy opened his mouth to reply but closed it quickly, realizing that nothing he said now would have any effect whatsoever. Lexa had him right where she wanted him and they both knew it, Lexa's triumphant smirk saying just as much. Bellamy glared at her furiously but entered the room with a sigh, not bothering to even try and argue.

'Are you ready?' Lexa asked me softly. I nodded my head, not trusting myself to speak for fear that I would say that I would never be ready. After a deep breath to collect myself, I entered the room once more, Lexa following close behind.

Round two was about to begin.

_**Comment and tell me what you thought :)**_


	16. Chapter 16

The council were already seated when we entered, Bellamy already having taken up his previous position on the far side of the room.

Their eyes narrowed when they saw Lexa but none dared to question her, not wanting to risk drawing themselves to the commanders attention.

Lexa stood a little to the left from me, her back to the wall as she made it clear she was only here for my benefit, not to cause any trouble.

They quickly lost interest in her when she remained silent and they turned their attention to me. This time I remained standing, not feeling relaxed enough to sit.

'The Council have now discussed your case fully and are ready to hear your defense' my mom told me, silence falling over the room as they waited for me to speak.

My mouth suddenly felt dry and for a second I didn't think I was going to be able to get the words out, but then Lexa caught my eye and gave me an encouraging nod and just like that I could speak again.

'That night, I went to the council room to wait for everyone to arrive for the meeting' I began hesitantly, 'when I went in I felt that something was wrong and I looked around until I found what it was that had put me on edge'.

The council stared at me in a stony silence as I recalled what had happened, each one of them listening intently to my story.

'At first I thought I was mistaken, but as I got closer I saw that I wasn't, it was a body' I continued, pausing a second to order my thoughts before going on.

'I moved even closer and recognized the body to be Ray, then I saw the knife by the body and knelt to look closer, I picked it up and saw that it was a Grounder knife' I explained, dropping my eyes as I remembered what happened next.

'As I was inspecting the knife I heard the door open behind me and my mom called out to me, she had agreed to the meeting and had gathered up a number of people to attend. She was at the front of the group with Lexa, they didn't see me at first because it was dark but when she did catch sight of me she fell silent, assuming the worst when she saw me knelt over the body' I addressed the council, not even able to look at my mother as I spoke of that night.

'I panicked and stood up to face her, forgetting that I still had the weapon in hand. When I did realize, it was too late, the entire room was watching and they had all come to the same conclusion' I said, my voice breaking slightly as I recalled the expressions of those in the room, especially that of my mother who had looked more betrayed than anything.

I cleared my throat before continuing, feeling slightly overwhelmed by the memory.

'From there on you know what happened, I was restrained and taken to a cell' I concluded, the council well aware of everything that had happened from then on.

I glanced up nervously at the row of faces, hoping to see any sign that they believed me. My mom regarded me with a pained expression, apparently just as affected by the memory as I was.

'Thank you Clarke, we now have a number of questions if you are willing to answer them' Kane spoke when it became apparent that my mom was not going to.

I nodded in response, letting out a shaky breath after my speech. Kane glanced along the table, opening the discussion to any member.

'Clarke, you say that you knew something was not right when you entered the room, so why when you saw the body did you not go to get help?' one of the members asked me, her voice gentle and encouraging.

'I'm not sure' I admitted before realizing that this was not the best response and quickly elaborated. 'I was shocked that there was a body and after seeing the extent of the wounds that he had received I could barely think straight.'

The lady smiled and nodded but the man by her side frowned at my reply.

'You say that you could barely think straight but you were rational enough to pick up the knife and inspect the crime scene' he implored, another member speaking up before I had the chance to reply.

'You continue to claim that you are innocent and that this is all a misunderstanding, and if this is true who should we be blaming for this? There are no witnesses and you said at the time that you saw no one in the corridors beforehand. This leaves us with the undeniable fact that you were found stood over the body, murder weapon in hand' a older man said, not openly calling me guilty but rating it is as the most likely scenario.

There was nothing I could say in response, just stare back silently as despair washed over me. The other council members considered his words and I could practically see their minds working towards the guilty verdict.

'I know my daughter and I do not believe that she is capable of such a thing' my mom spoke up for the first time, the only one so far to speak in my defense.

'Are you not slightly biased seeing that you are her mother? You say that she would not be capable of such a thing though you cannot deny that she knocked a guard out and broke anothers nose in her futile attempt to escape. Many more injuries would've been added to this list had she not been so hugely outnumbered' the elderly man argued, none of the others able to deny the truth in his words.

'All of this discussion is pointless when we all know that she is the murderer' Gordan spoke for the first time, looking at each member individually as he did so, showing them that he had no doubt about this.

I winced at his use of the word _murderer_, not a word that anyone liked to be associated with. Gordan continued with his speech, unaware of my discomfort or just not caring either way.

'She had a vicious argument with her mother, and then Bellamy himself before entering the Ark' he said, gesturing to where Bellamy stood silently by the wall.

'She was already raging before she encountered Ray, which surely would have pushed her to the edge. She had previously threatened him in public so what's to say that she didn't carry through with her threat?' he went on, turning away from his fellow council members to address me personally.

'You entered this very room and murdered Ray, making it appear to be a Grounder kill which would remove you from the suspicion' he told me. I shook my head slowly, but Gordan did not give me chance to speak when he carried right on.

'You hadn't expected your mom to arrive so soon, so rather than slip away as you had intended, you feign innocence instead, spinning a tale of lies about being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but it doesn't fool me' he continued, his voice steadily growing louder as he got into his stride.

'No' I managed to choke out, aware of the effect his words were having on the other council members, their expressions becoming more suspicious with each passing second.

'Do not deny what we all know to be true Clarke, drop the act and admit to your crime. You are a murderer and deserve to be punished for your crimes. I notice how careful you have been with your gaze, how it always seems to avoid the corner where you sliced into Ray's skin with your knife' he said, his eyes boring into me, full of accusation.

'Go on Clarke, take a good look at the murder scene, or can you not face remembering the pained screams that ripped from Ray's mouth as you stole the life from his body' he concluded, gesturing wildly to the area behind me which I had so far managed to avoid looking at.

Unable to stop myself, I glanced over my shoulder, shuddering visibly when I was hit with the memories of that night, the blood that had pooled from the motionless body, the look of torture that was frozen into Ray's expression, his face twisted into agony from his final moments.

It felt like all the breath had left my body as the horrific images flooded through my head, the feel of the blood trickling down my arm from the knife as I had turned to face my people, their horror so apparent I could practically hear their thoughts.

_Murderer, Murderer, _they screamed silently at me, the word piercing through me like a knife.

'That's enough!' Lexa growled angrily, unable to stand by and watch the vicious man tear me apart bit by bit.

I heard her words though they seemed distant, like they were being whispered from far away.

_Murderer, murderer._

The word continued to echo around my head, every time one of my people looked at me I saw it clearly in their eyes, no one said it out loud but it was always there, the silent accusation that had not been voiced until now.

'I will not stop until she admits to what she has done, only then will justice be served' Gordan countered, going on to tell the council of my criminal background.

The room was suddenly far too small and the walls seemed to pressing down on me, the metal ship that I had once called home had become my prison and I wanted nothing more than to get out of it.

My heart began to pound furiously in my chest until I could barely hear the argument that was blazing around me.

Gordan was ranting on to the council about my guilt, waving his hand in my direction every now and again to emphasize his words.

My gaze drifted slightly to the left where Lexa was watching Gordan's theatrics with narrowed eyes, her hand tightly gripping the hilt of her sword, looking more than ready to use it.

As I watched the scene fold out in front of me I felt my focus return and my despair fell away to be replaced with an unwavering sense of calm.

Clarke kom Skaikru would've allowed the emotions to engulf her completely, but I was no longer that naive girl who fell from the sky and I was past caring about what the council thought.

'Are you quite done?' I asked politely once Gordan had finally come to an end of his speech. He looked slightly disappointed that I appeared not to be in the slightest bit affected by his words, but gave me a quick nod, breathing heavily to catch his breath.

'I believe the council has heard just about enough from you, because I know I sure have' I continued, drawing a small smirk from Kane which he quickly concealed.

'Tell me if I'm wrong, but I assume you spoke of the final decision before I even came in here to give my defense?' I addressed the council, my suspicions confirmed when they exchanged cautious glances.

I knew better than to expect them to actual take any notice of my defense, it was just part of the procedure to them. They had most likely already discussed my fate during the short break and nothing I said was going to change that.

'We have come to a decision Clarke and if nobody wants to reconsider...?' my mom asked the council, pausing to see if one of them wanted to discuss further but when the room remained silent she continued.

'We could not come to a unanimous agreement but there was a majority vote' she told me and I waited patiently for the sentence.

'We propose that you return here to camp where you will be imprisoned indefinitely for future reconsideration' she continued, lifting her gaze hopefully to mine.

I just stared at her in silence, not understanding how any of them could expect me to agree to that.

'You will let me come back to camp...to lock me up again?' I asked incredulously, feeling anger bubbling to the surface.

'It won't be forever Clarke, at least you will be home where you belong and your case will be reviewed again in no time' Abby attempted to sound cheerful, almost desperate to persuade me that it was a fair deal.

I scoffed at her delusion, she seemed certain that I would be grateful for such a fine offer, how could I possibly turn it down?

'If those are your terms then I will be leaving camp first thing tomorrow morning' I replied firmly, casting an eye over the whole council who didn't seem surprised by my refusal. Even if my case was reopened in the future I doubted the outcome would be any different.

'I was pushing for your execution, so this is lucky escape for you' Gordan said, obviously not satisfied with the terms that had been proposed. I glared at him angrily, of course he would be looking to take it a step further.

'Clarke, please just consider it, it's not as bad as you might think' my mom pleaded, thinking that she could change my mind.

'I will not accept your terms and if we are done here I'm going to get some air, tomorrow morning we will be going' I told the council, leveling my mom with one last stare before turning on my heel and leaving the council room.

After a murderous glare directed at Gordan, Lexa followed a second later and caught up with me just down the corridor, our pace fast to get outside as quickly as possible as we suspected that Abby would not give up quite so easily.

We emerged from the Ark and before anyone outside could notice us, Lexa guided me around the side of the Ark to a more secluded area that was barely touched by the light from the distant torches.

After our lengthy discussion in the meeting room it was almost midnight and the darkness that reached out from the camp was endless, we would not want to leave right now after the recent panther attacks, it was best to wait until morning.

I drew in deep breaths of the cool air as I fought away whatever emotions had been flooding through me, feeling increasingly better now that we were in a less enclosed space.

'Well that went well' I said humorlessly, feeling drained from the hours of endless arguing that had gotten me nowhere. The whole thing had just been a waste of time.

'If I had to listen to that man ramble on for one second longer..' Lexa said through gritted teeth, apparently having the same love of Gordan that I did.

'It looks like he's got what he wanted now' I replied, though what he had really wanted was me to be executed and had obviously not been pleased by the sentence.

I couldn't say that I was surprised by the outcome of the meeting, I was never expecting to be allowed back and pardoned, this seemed to be the best offer that the council could put forward.

'We can try for further reconsideration' Lexa told me softly, not willing to give up on my chances yet. I was grateful for her support but right now I was just tired of the whole situation.

'Right now I just want to get out of here, it wouldn't be safe to travel back in this darkness so we should wait until morning' I suggested and Lexa nodded in agreement, both of us wary after the panther attacks.

We started to make our way back to the front of the Ark to join the other Grounders but Lexa froze without a word and I glanced back at her over my shoulder, wondering why she had stopped.

She tilted her head slightly to the side, listening intently to our surroundings though I heard nothing. Just as I was about to ask what was wrong, she turned her gaze on me.

'Clarke, I don't think we're-' she didn't get a chance to finish her sentence when a group of three men came running out of the darkness towards us from where they had been hiding towards the back of the Ark.

I called out a word of warning to Lexa who was closest to them but she was already sinking into a defensive position as the words left my mouth.

The men charged towards her though I saw that they had no weapons, apparently wanting to take us out silently. Guns would draw to much attention.

I began to make my way over to help Lexa but I heard heavy footsteps behind me and before I could turn to face my attacker, a pair of strong arms wrapped around me from behind and held on. Tight.

No matter how much I squirmed and wriggled, my efforts were useless against the overwhelming power of this man, he breathed heavily in my ear as he continued to restrain me but showed no sign of loosening his grip.

I could only watch in concern as the three men approached Lexa, pulling carefully concealed knives from their pockets, not as defenceless as I had previously assumed.

Lexa sidestepped swiftly as the first attacker lunged forwards, the deadly blade reflecting the light from the ark in the darkness as it passed by her.

She swiftly dealt the man a sharp blow to chest and he stumbled back to his companions. With a warning growl she glanced at each of them individualy, daring them to attack.

After only a slight hesitation the other two rushed forwards in an attempt to catch her off guard, Lexa blocking a blow from the first man and knocking the knife out of the others hand.

He stared down in apparent shock at his empty hand, trying to understand where his weapon had suddenly gone before Lexa drove a powerful fist into his face and he quickly went down, grabbing his face in agony.

I jerked desperately against my captor as the two remaining men continued to lunge at the Commander, and I somehow managed to free my arm from his iron grip.

He hadn't been expecting so much resistance and was slow on reacting to my movement.

I took advantage of his surprise and drove my newly freed arm back into him with as much force as I could muster and he grunted slightly in pain, though he did not let go of me as I had hoped.

Instead he used his tremendous strength to spin me around so that I was facing him and grabbed hold of my shoulders, pushing me roughly and causing me to fly backwards before landing heavily on the ground.

The air left my body from the impact and I lay stunned for a moment, struggling to draw a breath as I gazed up at the dark sky.

Before I had chance to recover, his huge figure loomed over me and he stooped over to grab me, this time flipping me onto my front and restraining me tightly in his unbreakable grip once more.

'Don't even think about trying that again or we'll see how invincible you really are' he muttered in my ear and lifting my gaze from the ground I saw that my face was now only inches away from the live fence. I gulped at the prospect of electrocution and tried to remember how many volts Raven had said was running through the fence, however much it was definitely enough to kill.

Hearing the ongoing struggle behind me, I tilted my head as much as I could and saw Lexa send one of her attackers flying back with so much force he slammed into the side of the Ark with a loud crash and slumped to the ground in a daze.

The third man eyed the commander nervously but seemed intent on suceeding where the others had failed and ran forwards again, but Lexa swatted him aside with ease and he soon joined the others on the ground.

Finally having dealt with the three of them, Lexa turned her attention to the giant that was currently restricting all movement of my body. She approached slowly and her eyes shone with deadly anger, her every step resembling that of a predator.

'Let go of her. Right. Now.' she demanded in an icy tone, narrowing her eyes at the man in such a way that it would terrify even me if I were the recipient.

The man seemed to think through his options as he watched the commander get closer but before he could react, one of the attackers rose from where he had been lying motionless on the ground with such speed that Lexa had barely registered his movement before he had driven his knife into the back of her shoulder.

He grinned in triumph before the knife lodged in her armor and he was suddenly left defenseless in the face of her rage.

She turned on him with a snarl and he let out a sharp cry as she grabbed his arm with such strength I heard bones snap, his face contorting in agony when she followed this with a sharp blow to the temple, his body falling unconscious to the ground.

Lexa reached behind her with a grimace and managed to pull the knife from her armor, dropping the blade to the ground in disgust.

My breath caught when I saw the unmistakable red blood that stained the knife and I felt a surge of worry for Lexa.

'I said let go of her or I will make you' she growled furiously, her eyes glowing with an insatiable rage, showing no sign that she had obtained an injury.

The man restraining me felt it wise to do as the disgruntled warrior commanded and slowly loosened his grip, fearful that he would end up like his friends.

As soon as I could move again, I threw my entire body weight against the unsuspecting man and he fell to the ground in surprise, not having time to make a sound before I dealt him a swift kick to the stomach, slamming my hand into the side of his head to knock him out.

I breathlessly glanced up at Lexa and rushed over to her side but a sudden noise caught our attention as someone approached, both our heads whipping around as we expected a further attack.

Thankfully it was my mom who rounded the corner, her fast stride coming to a stop as she came face to face with the two of us.

'Clarke...what the hell happened here?' she asked in shock, taking in the four crumpled bodies on the ground by our feet.

I exchanged a glance with Lexa, ignoring my mom's inquiry.

That was exactly what we wanted to know.

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	17. Chapter 17

Raised voices filled the medical bay as the council argued amongst themselves, each member trying to raise their voice over the others to make themselves heard.

I tuned them out as I stood in front of Lexa who was at the foot of one of the beds, staring at me defiantly.

'Lexa, I need you to take off your armor' I told her firmly, needing to get to her shoulder to see how bad the wound was.

'No' she replied stubbornly, having refused me twice already. I gritted my teeth in frustration and opened my mouth to ask again but I could barely hear myself over the racket behind me.

My mom had immediately taken us to the medical room when I told her that Lexa was injured, ordering a number of soldiers to restrain the four men and bring them with us. They were now all fully conscious and stood under heavy guard to one side of the room, my mom then having gathered the other council members who were now bickering constantly between themselves.

I had mentioned Gordans name quietly to my mom as a possible suspect behind the attack, she had then addressed the council with the prospect and needless to say it hadn't gone down too well, many of them not wanting to believe that it had been one of their own.

Turning to face the room, I took in the scene of chaos in front of me and decided that there were more appropriate places for them to sort this out.

'Everybody be quiet!' I yelled loudly, slamming my hand down forcefully on the small table by my side, the loud crash bringing the noise to an abrupt halt as all eyes turned to me in surprise.

'Now everybody leave' I ordered in a quieter voice, no need to shout now that everyone was silent.

'We can take this to the command room' my mom finally said, the council members slowly starting to file out of the room, still bickering as the four prisoners were dragged sullenly behind them.

'Find Gordan and get some answers' I told my mom as the room was clearing and she nodded in response.

'Don't worry Clarke, just get everything sorted here' she replied, her eyes flicking over my shoulder to Lexa before following the others out of the medical room, the door closing with a click behind her.

I took a calming breath once the room was empty, able to hear myself think once again.

I turned back to Lexa and fixed her with a pointed look, knowing that the councils presence was the reason for her refusal, not wanting to look vulnerable in front of them.

With a light sigh she perched herself on the edge of the bed and began removing her armor as I had requested.

As she did this, I gathered up a collection of things I might need to treat the wound, praying that it would not be to serious.

'It is nothing but a scratch' Lexa grumbled as she unbuckled the last of her armor 'I have lived through much worse.'

'I'm sure you have, but we might as well check it over just to be certain' I replied, pushing boxes of equipment out of the way to pull the bandages out from the back of a cupboard.

At first my mother had offered to treat Lexa though I had refused immediately, already picturing the mayhem that would ensue, not that the commander would ever allow that to happen which would only offend my mom. It was best for everyone that I dealt with the medical treatment in this situation and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Now that I had everything I could possibly need, I turned in Lexa's direction to return to her side, laying the equipment down on the sheets.

Now that her armor was removed I could see the shoulder wound that had been inflicted by the knife, it had pierced the skin fairly deep though luckily the armor had stopped it from causing any further damage.

Breathing a sigh of relief I set about cleaning and bandaging it, aware that it could've been a lot worse.

Lexa winced slightly when I pressed the cold cloth against the wound, but showed no other sign of discomfort, though I knew that it must've been hurting her.

'Today really hasn't gone as I had expected' I sighed, carefully wiping away the blood around the gash. First the pitiful offer the council had made and then getting attacked by people from my own camp. I had been hoping for some good luck some time soon, but that didn't seem to be happening recently.

'I know the council was surprised that you didn't announce the attack as a breach of the alliance and declare the start of a war' I continued, remembering the look of shock on their faces and how careful they were suddenly being in the presence of the commander, not wanting her to change her mind, fully aware that war would mean our destruction.

'Under normal circumstances I would have those four idiots that attacked us strung up to a tree and the person who had the whole thing engineered killed very slowly and very painfully' she informed me, remaining motionless as I worked. 'Though that would not do any good for our people's mutual interest and I value the alliance more important than some futile attempt on my life.'

I understood her reasoning, though keeping the alliance together seemed to be getting increasingly harder. Despite her generosity in overlooking the recent events, I would make sure that whoever was behind this was identified and punished accordingly. I was not going to let anyone get away with hurting Lexa, especially not someone from my own camp.

'This is going to need stitches' I told her, seeing the jagged edges of the wound. She nodded slightly in response and I took that as permission to proceed.

It didn't take long to close the gash and it seemed to have no effect on Lexa who showed no sign of discomfort through the whole thing, though stitches were not pleasant and I knew from experience how painful they could be.

'All done' I told her, wrapping a bandage around her shoulder to keep the stitches in place. I then started to clear everything up as Lexa began to put her armor back on, carefully strapping on the shoulder guard.

'I know you must feel like this is never ending Clarke, the secrets, lies and fighting, but as a leader you must remember, oso gonplei nou ste odon' she told me, watching as I shoved everything back in the various cupboards.

From my lessons of Trigedasleng I knew the phrase translated as our fight is never over. I had never heard anything so true in a long time. Every time things seemed to be looking up, another problem appeared almost immediately in a never ending cycle.

'So now what?' I asked, leaning back with a sigh against the counter, feeling more than ready to get some much needed rest.

'Now we get some answers' she replied, rising from the bed with a tight smile.

I nodded back in determination and pushed away my tiredness, first we had to get to the bottom of what had happened and I had a damn good idea of where to start.

Lexa and I strode purposefully through the empty corridors of the Ark, it was well past midnight so no-one else was around.

When we entered the command room, a row was still blazing between the council members, the entire room in a state of chaos. Gordan was shouting loudly in his defense as Kane tried his best to calm everybody down.

The prisoners glowered darkly at me and Lexa, the one with the broken nose looking especially enraged. At least Lexa had managed to do some damage to the fools, I thought briefly as I noticed most of them stooped in pain, nursing a collection of injuries.

I cleared my throat so as to draw the councils attention and the conversation came to a halt. A very indignant Gordan stood on the far side of the room, looking red faced from having been arguing with the council.

The sight lit a spark of anger in my chest and I leveled the council with a steady gaze, silently waiting for someone to explain what was going on.

'We think that Gordan had something to do with the attack on you and Lexa' my mom informed me when no-one else made any move to speak.

'You think he was involved?' I asked incredulously, it was perfectly obvious to everyone in the room that he had been behind the entire thing.

Huffing with exasperation at the councils lack of action I pushed forwards and shouldered my way past them, coming to a stop in front of Gordan, crossing my arms over my chest as I regarded him with distaste.

'We all know you sent them' I told him bluntly, gesturing to the chained men behind me, 'Don't even bother trying to deny it.'

Gordan opened his mouth but closed it quickly, tightening his jaw as he considered his next words.

'You were not the target Clarke, it was that Grounder vermin who was meant to be dealt with but those dimwits couldn't even do that properly' he admitted angrily, glaring over my shoulder at his hired assassins. Lexa stiffened by my side at the insult but refrained from driving her sword through him.

I held up a hand for silence when a number of gasps filled the room behind me, some members of the council hardly believing what they were hearing

'Do I even have to ask why?' I replied shortly, already having a pretty good idea.

'This alliance is a disaster and something had to be done, the council understand that we cannot live alongside these animals for any longer, enough is enough and I took matters into my own hands' he grunted, staring defiantly back at me. His confidence faltered slightly when he flicked his eyes around the room, waiting for someone to come to his defense and understand his logic but no support was to be found.

I turned to the council and held my arms out for emphasis as I addressed them.

'You have all just heard his confession of guilt, so what are you waiting for?' I asked calmly, not needing anyone to think that I was throwing my weight around by ordering them to arrest him.

A slight pause followed my words before Kane nodded to Bellamy who stepped forwards and restrained Gordan's arms behind his back. Gordan knew better than to resist when surrounded by armed guards, but this didn't stop him from protesting verbally when he was pushed towards the exit, calling for the councils support every step of the way. I had no delusions that there weren't any doubts amongst the council about the alliance, but that was only to be expected and I was certain that none of them would take Gordan's side on this.

I watched him being dragged away but I felt no joy at the sight, it was almost ironic that now the tables had been turned and he was now going to have to appear before the council on trial.

I was not worried about what would happen to him from now on, there was no way he was wriggling out of this after having confessed openly to his plans.

The room was unusually quiet, now that Gordan had been dealt with no-one seemed quite sure what to do.

After a moment Kane took charge and ordered the guards to take the restrained men to the cells before he addressed the entire room.

'I believe we have had just about enough drama for tonight so I suggest everyone retire for some sleep' he told everyone, the council not needing to be asked twice as they left the command room, rubbing their eyes tiredly.

In the end it was just me, Lexa, my mom and Kane left. I was feeling exhausted after everything that had happened but I could tell that my mom was not yet finished.

'Clarke, I know that the offer made was far from what you'd expected but it's better than nothing' she informed me, her eyes pleading that I reconsider the terms that had been proposed earlier.

'That's where you're wrong' I told her sharply, not seeing why she couldn't understand. 'With the Trigedakru I am free, I can walk through the forest and feel the sun on my face, drink fresh water from nearby rivers and stay up late to see the stars. You want me to give all of that up for nothing, to be locked away in a cell for a crime I didn't commit for possibly the rest of my life.'

My mom shook her head as if trying to ward off my reasoning, sticking firmly with her deluded hope.

'I just want you to come back home. You belong here with us, with your people' she went on desperately, refusing to see sense.

'I don't know where I belong anymore, but right now I don't particularly want to stay here where I can't even guarantee my own safety' I replied tiredly, wanting to bring this conversation to an end.

'The only reason this happened today was because of her, she is the source of all the trouble that happens' my mom snapped, glancing accusingly at Lexa who didn't even blink in response, remain calm and collected at the comment, though I could hardly say the same about myself.

After such a long day, a confrontation with my mom was the last thing I needed, and up to this point I had been fairly patient in dealing with her arguments but laying the blame on Lexa was just too far.

'Don't you dare blame her for this!' I exploded, my mom recoiling slightly from the pure anger in my voice, a shocked expression on her face.

'She has been kind enough to allow me to stay at her camp when my own people wanted me killed, without her generosity I would have no place to go and most likely would've died in the forest after my escape. You should be on your knees thanking her for taking in your daughter when she had no reason to. I don't know what problem you have with Lexa but it is time to put it aside, it is your fault that this happened, not hers, surely you were aware of Gordan's unhappiness with the alliance but you did nothing and let it get to this. It is because of you that we were attacked earlier so before you start pointing the finger, why don't you have a good hard think about what you could've done to prevent this from happening' I ranted, letting out all of the feelings that I had been bottling up, unleashing them in my words.

Abby looked mortified at my speech and even Kane was slightly wide eyed after my explosion, not that it hadn't been deserved. I felt Lexa's eyes resting on me but didn't break eye contact with my mom, wanting to make it clear that I was done listening to her constant remarks and complaints about the Commander.

'Like I said earlier, we will be gone at first light' I said to both her and Kane in a quieter tone, seemingly my words had the intended effect from their lack of response as their eyes flicked between me and the commander.

Without waiting for a reply I turned away and walked with Lexa at my side out of the command room for the final time.

I exhaled sharply once we were back in the corridors of the Ark, still aware of Lexa's eyes on me, her gaze not having shifted from me since my angry rant at Abby.

Feeling considerably calmer now that we were alone, I felt tiredness creep over me but shook myself when Lexa opened her mouth to speak, only to be interrupted when Raven came flying around the corner and almost collided straight into her.

'Oh crap, sorry about that Commander' she apologized when Lexa shot her arms up to keep the girl from knocking them both to the floor. A red flush crept slowly up into Raven's cheeks as she moved back, most probably praying that Lexa would not berate her for being so careless.

Lexa frowned slightly in annoyance but I felt it was more at being interrupted than the collision.

'I will give you some space to talk' she offered, quickly sidestepping around Raven before I could reply, disappearing around the corner in the direction Raven had just appeared from. I stared at the space where she had previously been standing, wondering what she had wanted to say.

'I thought she was going to skewer me for that, lucky for me she didn't seem in the mood' Raven commented lightly, though her relief was obvious that she had not caused any offense. She soon shook off her embarrassment at crashing straight into the leader of the Grounder army and turned to me in concern.

'I heard what happened earlier from Bellamy, are you okay?' she asked, a worried frown creasing her forehead.

'Yeah, don't worry about me, I'm fine' I reassured her, not mentioning that Lexa had been wounded, I had the impression that she felt the less people knew about that the better.

A relieved smile spread across her face before she grabbed my arm and began to pull me down the corridor, further into the Ark. I would much rather be following Lexa out into the open air but I didn't have the heart to refuse Raven as she rambled on at my side about how all of my friends had missed me.

I was only half listening and let my mind drift as I nodded at the right times in response, wanting nothing more than to close my eyes and sleep.

We stopped outside one of the rooms and Raven slid the door open before pulling me inside.

'We had a room saved for you in case you had to stay over so here it is' she told me, gesturing to the small area we were in. Like most of the rooms on the Ark, it was not huge as there were a lot of people that needed somewhere to sleep, so there was no point in them being excessively large.

'Thanks Raven' I replied, appreciating the effort that she had gone to when she hadn't even been sure that I would be needing a room.

'I know this is your last night here before you leave again and I won't be able to come and see you off tomorrow. The Council have me fixing something in the Ark and they won't be happy if I don't turn up again. So yeah, this is me saying see you soon' she finished, pulling me into a tight hug which I returned until she pulled away.

'See you soon Raven' I replied, neither of us knew when we would next see each other again, but this was our way of promising that this was not our last goodbye.

After one last sad smile she walked back out of the room, the door shutting with a soft click behind her. I hoped it wouldn't be long before we saw each other again, before I saw all of my friends again.

I lowered myself down onto the edge of the bed, glancing around at my surroundings. The metal walls did nothing but remind me of my cell and I felt a sense of longing for the sight of the endless sky above me.

The silence was only broken by the soft hum of electricity and in an instant I came to a decision. I rose from the bed and walked to the door, glancing back when I felt a slight pang of guilt after Raven had gone to all of this trouble, but I was sure she would understand. There was no way I was going to get any rest whilst I felt that the walls were pressing heavily down on me.

I pulled the door shut behind me and crept through the corridors of the Ark, not wanting to wake anyone at this time of night.

I immediately felt better once I emerged from the Ark, taking a deep breath of the cool, crisp air to clear my mind. The stars were shining brightly above and the moons light bathed the camp in a soft glow.

I saw the Grounders gathered around a blazing fire, some sharpening their weapons, others using the time to rest and sleep before the return trip the next day.

I noticed Lexa silhouetted by a smaller fire a few meters away from her warriors and headed in her direction, not bothering to mask my approach as my boots crunched over the ground, too tired to care.

Lexa didn't glance up as I got closer but shifted to the right slightly so that I had more room when I lowered myself down on the log that she was sitting on. Even after she had moved across, it was a fairly small log and our legs were immediately pressed together from the hip down. I brushed some hair away from my face and tried not to let myself be distracted by how close we were.

'I assumed you would be sleeping inside' she said softly, her hands resting lightly on the dagger in her lap, gazing into the depths of the fire.

'Raven made a room ready for me but I couldn't sleep in there, it's not the same anymore' I mumbled in reply, feeling the energy drain from my body as the warmth from the fire seeped into me.

Lexa nodded in response, not needing a further explanation as she understood what I meant. She herself would be unable to sleep enclosed in such a small, metallic place when used to the open sky above her. I remembered when I was only comfortable sleeping with the electric hum gentle in the air, the sound had been familiar but after staying at the Grounder camp for so long, it now felt unnatural.

'It was good of you to speak in my defense against your mother' she said after a slight hesitation, taking her eyes away from the fire to look at me closely.

'She had no right to say what she did, after everything you've done for me it only seemed fair' I replied, wondering if this was what she had been wanting to tell me earlier before Raven had interrupted.

'What she says does not bother me, but I thank you for your words. I wanted you to know that you are welcome to stay as long as you like, even when this is all over' she continued, an unreadable expression on her face.

I smiled lightly at her and opened my mouth to answer before a large yawn escaped my lips and I brought up a hand to cover my mouth, glancing apologetically at Lexa who seemed more amused than anything.

'You should get some rest' she suggested 'it is not long until morning when we leave.'

I nodded slowly and turned my face back to the fire as we fell into a companionable silence. Staring into the flickering flames, I struggled not to give in to the tiredness but after a while I could fight it no longer and my eyes slowly slipped shut as I fell into a much needed sleep.

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	18. Chapter 18

'_Clarke' _a soft voice spoke, attempting to rouse me from my sleep. It was only a faint whisper and at first I ignored it but the voice grew increasingly firm as it repeated my name.

'_Clarke'_

The voice remained insistent and pierced through my foggy mind to draw me back to reality.

'Clarke'

'Mhmmmm' I hummed quietly, cracking my eyes open slowly to find the world tipped on its side. I stared for a moment in confusion, wondering if I was still sleeping.

'I take it you slept well?' Lexa asked quietly, her voice sounding closer than I had been expecting. I lifted my eyes to see her amused smile not inches away as it dawned on me exactly what position I had fallen asleep in.

I quickly jerked upright, away from where my head had been previously resting on Lexa's shoulder, pulling my arm back from where it had been leisurely draped over her leg.

'I am so sorry' I apologized hastily, feeling heat blaze to life in my cheeks. 'I didn't even realize I had fallen asleep, you should've woken me.'

It was still fairly dark in the camp, and it didn't look like anyone from the Ark was awake yet. I just hoped it was dark enough to hide my flaming cheeks but the smirk on Lexa's face told me that was not the case.

'You were exhausted and needed the rest. I only woke you now as I thought you would want to be ready before your people rise' she explained.

I felt awful that she had stayed in the same position all night and hadn't slept at all. She always said that she didn't need much sleep and glancing over at her, I saw no visible signs of tiredness that would make you aware that she had yet to sleep. I dropped my eyes when Lexa's gaze turned to me, fresh heat flooding to my face at having been caught staring. The small log gave me no opportunity to move away and I was increasingly aware of how half of our bodies were pressed tightly together.

As I desperately tried to hide my embarrassment, Lexa rose from the log in one graceful move, her sudden absence at my side being both a relief and a disappointment.

'I will go and prepare the warriors for our return trip' she told me as I also stood, wincing at the stiffness in my body.

She was gone before I could reply, striding noiselessly across camp to where the other Grounders were resting. I watched her go for a second before I walked in the opposite direction to the camp perimeter. I started to pace it slowly, working the stiffness out of my legs. I couldn't understand why I had reacted so strongly, if it had been anyone else I was almost certain that I wouldn't have been so flustered.

Pushing away these thoughts I continued to pace the boundary until I saw that most of the Grounders were atop their horses, ready to leave at a moments notice. Faint streaks of light filled the sky and signaled the beginning of a new day. It was time for me to leave camp.

Right on cue the main doors at the front of the Ark opened and a small group of people appeared consisting mostly of council members from what I could see. I moved away from the perimeter of the camp towards the front gate and stood a few meters in front of the other Grounders. As I waited for the group to approach I felt my resolve falter at the thought of saying my goodbyes and possibly leaving this place forever. Lexa came up silently beside me, as if sensing my unrest, and I felt my confidence return.

As they got closer I saw that I was correct in assuming that the council had come to see me off, but also Monty and Jasper who trailed a few meters behind. When they came to a stop, Kane stepped forwards first, hands clasped behind his back in his usual manner.

'I believe you have not had a a change of mind concerning the terms proposed?' he asked formally as part of the procedure.

No-one seemed surprised when I shook my head, most of the council just looked like they had better places to be and wanted this over as soon as possible.

'Then I, Marcus Kane, state that you, Clarke Griffin, are now exiled from this camp. You are not permitted to return unless ordered directly by the council. Do you understand?'

I nodded in response, not able to form any words as my mouth was suddenly dry. As chancellor, it should've been my mom doing the formalities but it seemed Kane was taking the lead in her place, most likely she couldn't face saying the words that would banish her own daughter.

'Then you may say your final goodbyes before you leave' he concluded, stepping back to rejoin the others.

Now that the formalities were over the majority of the council took this as their cue to leave and did just that, not sparing me a single glance as they retreated back inside the Ark. Jasper and Monty said their goodbyes first, telling me that the rest of my friends would've come too, but the council had not allowed this as it would've created a commotion. After a lot of hugging and sympathetic words they followed the council into the Ark.

My mom stepped forwards next, her face filled with pain and anguish. I opened my mouth to speak but she shushed me before I had a chance and clasped both my hands in hers.

'Before you say anything I want you to know that I am sorry' she began 'Not only for sending you down here in the first place, but for not being there when you needed me the most. I know I doubted your innocence at first and there is no way I can make up for that, but I promise you now that I have been fighting on your side, and will continue to do so, until you are returned back here to where you belong.'

She swallowed thickly and waited expectantly for an answer but I didn't know how to reply. I was astounded that she was actually apologizing, after the way she had been behaving over the last few weeks it was the last thing I had been expecting. Seeing that I was having trouble formulating a response, she used her grip on my hands to pull forwards and wrapped her arms around me, enclosing me in a tight hug.

'You don't have to say anything right now' she murmured in my ear before releasing me and taking a step back, a sad smile on her face.

'Love you mom' I said quietly, no matter what had happened previously I didn't know when I would next see her again and I didn't want to part on bad terms.

'Love you too Clarke. I will persuade the council one way or another, I promise you that. I'll see you soon okay?' she said, her eyes shining with moisture as she held back tears.

I nodded and gave her a shaky smile in return, not trusting myself to speak. She gazed at me tenderly for a moment longer before she turned and walked back to the Ark, my eyes never left her until she disappeared from sight. With the goodbyes finally over I took a deep breath to collect myself, giving a small nod to Lexa to let her know I was okay before we turned and walked over to where the horses were ready to leave.

'Clarke!' a voice called from behind us and I looked over my shoulder to see Bellamy jogging in our direction.

'I'll only be a few minutes' I told Lexa, who nodded and continued on to the other Grounders, giving us a chance to talk alone.

I walked towards Bellamy and met him halfway. He was dressed in his usual guard uniform and I assumed he was meant to be on duty inside the Ark but had come out instead.

'I should be guarding the prisoners right now but I got someone to cover my shift for me, I had to come and say goodbye ' he explained, slightly out of breath from having ran out to meet me.

'Thanks, that was good of you' I said with a smile, not having been sure he would come after our recent differences.

'This camp isn't going to be the same without you' he admitted, 'besides, who is going to get us all into trouble now?'

I chuckled at his humor, thankful that this goodbye was not going to be as emotional as the others.

'I'm sure you're going to keep your nose clean now that you're lead guard' I said teasingly, though Bellamy appeared almost offended by the comment and I immediately regretted mentioning the subject of his new role in camp.

'No one on the Ark seems to understand or be aware of the danger they face on the ground. I have to make sure they're okay and keep them safe. I know you probably don't approve, but I can do that as a lead guard Clarke. My people need me and I don't intend to let them down' he told me bluntly, tired of everyone questioning his decision.

I agreed with everything that Bellamy was trying to achieve, especially the part about keeping everyone safe, but his choice of wording caught my attention.

'Did you just say _my people need me?' _I asked stiffly, crossing my arms over my chest as Bellamy furrowed his brow at my question.

'I didn't mean to, but you know what I meant' he replied, brushing away my inquiry as if it were nothing.

'I know exactly what you meant' I replied quietly. It also gave me a fresh insight into how those in camp Jaha saw me, and it filled me with a sense of clarity.

They saw me as an outsider now, even Bellamy who had been one of my closest friends. After all of the time I had spent in the Grounder camp it was hardly surprising, though I hadn't expected Bellamy to share this opinion.

'I'm sorry Clarke, I don't know why I said that' he apologized, seeing the thoughts flicking across my face.

'You just said what everyone else is thinking' I replied, dropping my eyes to the ground.

There was a brief silence as he tried to think of something to say that would diffuse the situation, but we both knew that I was right.

'I've got to be going' I finally spoke up, remembering that the Grounders were waiting for me.

'Be safe Clarke' he said sincerely and I nodded in return, giving him a final, small smile before I turned away from him, walking the short distance to where the Grounders were waiting.

Lexa stood with our horses, waiting patiently for me to approach, not saying a word as the two of us lept up into our seats. Still facing the camp, I glimpsed my mom watching the proceedings from the front of the Ark, blinking furiously to hold back the tears. Bellamy remained stood motionless where I had left him, raising his hand in farewell when he caught my eye. It gave me peace of mind to know that he was looking out for everyone here, it was one less thing to worry about.

With one last glance over my former home, I tore my eyes away from the metal ship and wheeled my horse around. With Lexa at my side we led the Grounders towards the perimeter and out through the front gate which had been opened in advance. The gate clanged shut behind us the second we left and I resisted the urge to look back over my shoulder, no point in making this any harder.

We rode in silence back through the trees, all of us keeping our focus on our surroundings for any sign of panthers.

It was strange to think that I was no longer able to return to the camp Jaha, I had been expecting it for a while but there was nothing I could have done in advance to prepare, it was just something that I was going to have to adjust to. Lexa glanced at me every now and then but said nothing, understanding that I needed the quiet to process what had just happened.

As we approached the Grounder camp some time later, I was surprised to see that the most of the Grounders were already awake, despite the fact that it was still extremely early in the morning. I shared a concerned glance with Lexa who was apparently having the same thoughts as me. We increased our pace as we entered the camp and I immediately noticed the tense atmosphere, as well as the many worried faces around us.

Indra approached us as soon as we dismounted, formally greeting the commander and sparing a quick nod my way.

'There was an incident whilst you were gone, one of the patrols that went out earlier was attacked by two panthers' she explained briefly once the formalities were over.

'What about casualties?' Lexa asked, though by the dark expression on Indra's face it was not good news.

'One of our warriors was killed and another is in a critical condition' she told us.

'Where is he? I might be able to help him' I offered, having a more advanced medical knowledge then their healer.

Indra gestured to a nearby tent and I jogged over to it, leaving Lexa to continue inquiring about what happened. I pushed through the entrance and nodded politely at Nyko before turning my gaze to the injured Grounder. The healer had done as best he could cleaning and bandaging the numerous gashes that covered the warriors body and I spent the next hour checking him over for any other damage before giving him something for the pain. I then talked the healer through some of the medical techniques that he was unfamiliar with.

I had taken some medical supplies from camp Jaha to bring here a while ago for whenever they might be needed, anyone that came to visit made sure to bring some medicine or bandages with them so we didn't run out. When I finally emerged from the tent I was satisfied that the warrior would live to fight another day.

I glanced around and saw Lexa on the far side of camp with Indra, the two of them in a heated conversation, most likely on the subject of the attack. I decided to leave them to it and walked instead over to where Octavia was sitting by the remains of the fire.

She didn't even glance up when I took a seat opposite her, continuing to ignore my existence. She still hadn't forgiven me for what had happened at TonDc, even though my actions had guaranteed her brother's safety.

'What do you want Clarke?' she finally spoke up, seeing that I had no intention of going anywhere.

'You can travel freely between camps whenever you please' I began quickly now that I had her attention. 'I take it you just returned shortly after us?'

'Your point being?' she replied coolly, not wanting to talk to me any longer than necessary.

'We both know I no longer have that luxury, so would you keep me up to date on what's happening back at camp?' I asked, not knowing anyone else who could provide me with this information.

It was mostly for my peace of mind, knowing that everyone that I had left behind was okay, but also to ensure that the alliance was maintained. If any problems surfaced regarding the matter I wanted to know about it as soon as possible, and I trusted that Octavia would do her best to resolve any issues. No matter what her feelings were towards me, she understood how vital it was that both camps continued to live in peace.

Octavia regarded me silently for a few seconds, narrowing her eyes as she searched for any hidden meaning behind my words.

'I'll keep you up to date for the sake of the alliance, but don't go thinking that I'm doing you any favors' she finally agreed, rising from the log in a single fluid movement, turning on her heel and stalking away before I had chance to thank her.

I blew out a sigh as I stared at the space where she had been just a moment ago, wondering how long she was going to hold this grudge for. She wasn't the type to easily forgive and forget. Having now sorted that out, I stood and glanced around for any sign of Lexa. I didn't see her anywhere so, rather than search the entire camp for her, I decided to wait in her tent until she returned.

I was not surprised to find it empty when I ducked inside, already having assumed that she was still taking care of matters concerning the deceased warrior. I wandered over to the far side of the tent where a large map had been spread over a table, looking over it closely as I waited. It was not long before Lexa returned and I turned to face her as she entered the tent.

'Anything important?' I asked, noticing the tightly bound scroll gripped in her hand. A messenger came every now and then with one for the commander which I guessed held news from the other clans, though I had never been told precisely what they contained.

'Nothing of any interest' she replied dismissively, glancing down at the scroll in her hand as if having forgotten that she was still holding it.

I bit back any further questions as I watched her place it down with a collection of others on the far table, the slight frown on her face telling me that whatever was in that scroll was of more interest than she was letting on. Trusting that she would tell me in her own time I decided to drop the matter for now.

'I just spoke to Nykoand he told me that thanks to you, the injured warrior will make a full recovery' she said, having just gone to check on how the warriors treatment was going.

'Nyko had everything under control, I just showed him a more effective way of treating the injuries' I explained, making it clear that it had not all been down to me. 'Did you find out exactly what happened with the attack?'

Lexa nodded in confirmation and turned to face me before speaking.

'The patrol that I sent out was only dealing with a single panther at first, it managed to injure the warrior that you just helped to heal. They were close to finishing it off but out of nowhere a second panther appeared, and killed a warrior before anyone could react' she told me darkly, this now being the second warrior she had lost to the beasts.

They were extremely vicious when it came to fighting and I knew that even the greatest Grounder warrior would have trouble winning against the sheer power and strength that the panthers possessed. The attacks had become a common occurrence and it was no longer a case of hoping that it had been a one off, this was only going to get worse and it had to be dealt with. So far they had only been seen around this camp but I couldn't be sure that they wouldn't roam further to where the Ark was situated.

'I'll send word back to camp Jaha of the danger' I said, wanting to warn them in advance so that they could be prepared.

'I'm sure they'll be fine, no panther is getting past that electric fence' Lexa reasoned and I knew that she was right but I still felt that they should be warned, Octavia would relay the message for me when she next headed back to them.

'I know it must be hard for you, having to leave your camp' she added after a moment, her tone soft as she spoke of my banishment. 'I'm sure they will come to their senses soon and recall you.'

I watched her carefully, unsure where the sudden change in conversation had come from. Her eyes were fixed on the ground and I realized that she felt at fault for what had happened.

'None of this is down to you Lexa' I told her quietly, her eyes lifting to mine in surprise at my perceptiveness. I just knew her well enough by now to know what she was thinking.

'Indra had to kill Ray and there was no way we could tell anyone the truth' I continued, 'It would've resulted in war and that's the last thing anyone wants.'

We both knew that I was being banished despite not having done anything wrong, she knew that I never should've had to leave my family and friends in the first place.

'It was just another consequence of our attempts to keep this alliance together' she said sourly 'how many more lives will be lost or ruined before we finally achieve peace?'

I fully understood her reasoning, an alliance between two camps that were so different was never going to be an easy task, but if leaving camp ensured that we did not break the fragile arrangement, then it was a sacrifice I was willing to make.

'There's nothing we can do to change what's happened, we can only move forwards and make sure that it was all worth something' I replied after a moment. 'Besides, it's not too bad staying here in camp with your people ... with you.'

Lexa looked slightly taken aback by my words and even I could hardly believe I had actually said that out loud, not having thought it through before opening my mouth. Though unexpected, my words had been true and I didn't regret saying them for a moment.

Lexa's face softened and I found myself returning the smile that had formed on her face, holding her gaze for a second longer before I turned back to the map behind me. 'So what exactly is being shown on this map then?' I asked curiously, having noticed the small marks on the paper earlier.

After a moment Lexa moved to stand at my side, leaning over slightly to point carefully to the bottom of the map.

'This is where the panthers usually reside' she told me before gesturing to an area further north.

'And this is where they have been seen recently' she continued and my eyes widened in astonishment. The Grounder camp was marked clearly on the map and the area that Lexa had indicated was uncomfortably close for my liking.

My eyes flicked between the two areas Lexa had pointed out and I immediately understood her growing concern, that was an immense distance for the creatures to travel.

From what I had been told they were extremely territorial and rarely roamed further than they needed to.

'That's an extremely long distance for them to wander astray' I commented disbelievingly, a large section of the forest stretching between the two marks. It was highly unlikely that the panthers had traveled so far north for no good reason.

'That's exactly what I was thinking' she agreed, the two of us falling into silence as we considered the possible explanations for the panthers movement north.

From the amount of sightings that had been reported recently, the chance of more attacks happening was steadily growing, as was the probability of future deaths caused the panthers.

It was now clear that we had to get to the bottom of this issue, whatever was driving the creatures from the south couldn't be good but it was about time we found out exactly what was causing this.

**_Comment and tell me what you thought :)_**


	19. Chapter 19

One week later, I strode through the quiet camp, impatiently waiting for Lexa to finish her council meeting so I could talk to her about the idea of going out with the other warriors to scout the woods.

After the recent death of the Grounder, patrols had been doubled in size for their own safety and had been going out more frequently in an attempt to drive away any nearby panthers, the last thing we needed was any number of them prowling into camp.

I had been stood by idly in camp for the last seven days, waiting on news when each of them returned. Sometimes they encountered nothing, others ran across a number of the beasts, attempting to kill or drive them away at the very least.

I felt more than useless just hanging around with nothing but endless meetings with the higher ranking grounders which often regarded the new changes or other, smaller issues that still had to be dealt with despite the recent danger.

I wanted to do something to help, how could I organize patrols to go out and risk their lives if I was not willing to do the same.

I had woken up later than usual today and knew that the council meeting Lexa was attending had already begun, so I had missed my chance to consult with her at the first available opportunity. Now she could be held up with the discussion for a good few hours.

I berated myself for not catching her before the meeting started but all I could do now was wait and hope that it finished fairly quickly.

I weaved my way through the numerous huts that were scattered around, thinking that the movement would make the time go faster.

I stopped short by the holding area for prisoners, a deep pit that had been dug into the ground, only accessible by descending some stairs down into the darkness. It was a replica of the one that had been used back at TonDc, a large iron gate securing anyone being held inside.

Passing the pit, I had happened to glance down through the wooden bars to see a motionless body lying below.

I hadn't heard of anyone being captured so I was more surprised than anything, dropping to my knees to see better when the figure began to stir.

They let out a heavy groan of pain, most likely caused by the lengthy drop which the Grounders most certainly threw them down.

The light only faintly touched the bottom of the pit and I could not see who the prisoner was. Hearing movement from above, the figure glanced up slowly and coughed sharply before calling up from the darkness.

'Hello? Who's there?' they asked, breaking into a cough that shook their entire body, still recovering from the drop.

I froze at the sound, recognizing the voice immediately, though not believing what I was hearing. I hoped that I was wrong about the identity of the figure below me but had a growing feeling that I wasn't.

'Bellamy? Is that you?' I called down tentatively, hoping that I was wrong though there was little doubt. The voice had been slightly raspy from what I could only assume was lack of water, but there was no mistaking that voice.

'Clarke? Yeah it's me, where the hell am I?' he called back up, his voice now steadier and sounding stronger. I didn't understand what he was doing down there but first I had to get him out.

'Hang on a sec, I'm coming down' I told him, standing up and brushing the dirt from my knees before quickly jogging over to where a number of steps had been worked into the ground and I descended them without hesitation.

As the light faded away I waited a moment to allow my eyes to adjust before continuing. Once at the bottom, a bulky Grounder loomed ominously in front of me, blocking my path to the gate.

'Get out of my way' I told him sharply, not about to be stopped from getting Bellamy out of that pit. The Grounder remained where he was for a moment, weighing his options before finally moving aside, watching without a sound as I grabbed the key and proceeded to unlock the gate.

I went straight to Bellamys side, quickly glancing over him for any injuries. He insisted that he was fine so I took hold of his arm to help heave him to his feet.

'You're going to get in trouble for this Clarke' he warned, grimacing as he worked the stiffness out of his body. He had already guessed that I was working on my own agenda by freeing him, having not discussed it with Lexa first.

'Leave me to worry about that' I replied, knowing that she was going to be less than happy when she found out but I wasn't going to leave Bellamy down here for a second longer.

'Come on, let's go and get some answers' I said, leading the way past the Grounder and up into the camp.

I cast an eye over Bellamy when he emerged, checking him over now that I could see him better in the light.

He looked down at himself and did his best to clean himself up, having gotten fairly dirty after being down that pit.

'What happened?' I asked once I was certain he had no injuries, wanting to know the facts before I did anything.

'We got word from Octavia about the panthers and that you wanted to speak to us in person about the problem' he started hesitantly, speaking more clearly as the memories came back to him.

'The council were not going to send anyone so I volunteered' he continued 'I've been here a few times already so I was pretty sure I could find my way back again. I'm not sure where I ended up but I knew it wasn't the right place. The next minute I turned around and found a bright pair of eyes staring at me from out of the undergrowth. I fired off some shots but it didn't seem to faze the beast one bit. In the end all I could do was back away and run as fast as I could, hoping that one of my bullets had caused some damage'

I listened intently to his story, especially the part about the bullets having little effect, knowing that this meant bad news for the people in camp Jaha who relied on their weapons.

'Well you ended up in the right place eventually' I commented dryly, still not understanding why he had been in the pit.

'One minute I was running, the next I was out cold and when I woke it was when you were calling down to me' he finished, not able to fill in the blanks between his desperate fleeing and becoming a prisoner in the Grounder camp.

It seemed that Bellamy had no answers but I knew who would, there was no way any Grounder would throw someone in the pit without informing the commander.

'Come on' I told Bellamy, setting off in the direction of the large hut where all meetings were held.

'I don't think this is a very good idea' he said hesitantly as he hurried to catch up. He knew exactly who we were going to see and was reluctant to cause any trouble.

I ignored his concerned words and continued on, slowing my pace slightly to allow for him to keep up.

Up ahead, two of Lexa's guards were stood outside the hut. They shifted slightly when they saw I had Bellamy with me but did not move to stop us entering.

Inside, Indra was confidently putting forward her ideas regarding some issue though she was cut off by our abrupt entrance, the eyes of all those present turning to us.

Lexa was stood at the head of the table, the other Grounders stood around the edges, none of them looking pleased by the interruption.

'Commander' I said cooly in way of greeting, the unnecessary formality not going unnoticed as the Grounders glanced nervously at each other, immediately sensing the tension.

'Clarke' the commander said in return, her icy gaze searching mine before falling to Bellamy.

'Look who I found locked up in the pit' I said, gesturing to where Bellamy stood just behind me.

Her eyes remained on Bellamy for a moment before settling back on me, her annoyance evident.

'I am in the middle of a meeting' she told me, levelling me with a look of warning which I ignored.

'I can see that and I want to know why he was thrown in the pit' I continued insistently, returning her gaze with my own unwavering stare.

She clenched her jaw tightly, seeing that I would not let this go unsettled, and drew in a deep breath to control her rising annoyance before replying.

'I will tell you as soon as I have finished this meeting, we are about to finish and I will come and speak to you in private' she said tightly, her emphasis on the last word telling me that she was not about to have this discussion in front of the other Grounders.

I considered pushing for an answer but sensed I would not get anything out of her here, I would do as she wanted for now.

'Thank you commander, and I do apologize for the intrusion' I directed at the entire room, not missing the fiery glare Indra was fixing me with.

I turned and pulled Bellamy back out of the hut, passing the two guards on our way.

'What exactly was the point in that?' Bellamy hissed once we were outside, not seeing what we had achieved.

I sighed at his obvious confusion, not knowing how to explain my actions in a way that he would understand.

'I could've waited until the meeting ended and asked her nicely about why you had been imprisoned, but that wouldn't have been half as effective. By barging in like we did, she now sees that this is an important matter and I can assure you that we will get a far more direct reponse' I told him, already anticipating what was coming.

Bellamy shook his head at my logic, still not quite understanding. Glancing around I noticed that his presence was drawing many curious stares from the other Grounders and decided to go somewhere more private.

'Come on, let's get away from prying eyes' I said, leading Bellamy through the collection of huts and into the large tent that stood not 10 metres away from my own.

I pushed inside without hesitation and Bellamy followed at my heels, glancing around to take everything in as he did.

He had only been to this camp a few times whilst it was being constructed so this was the first time he had seen everything finished.

I crossed to the far side of the tent where a jug of water was placed on the table.

'Do you want some water?' I asked Bellamy as I poured myself a cup but he refused, even though he must have been thirsty after his trip here.

Turning back around to face him I saw that he had his own bottle of water which he took a number of swigs from, glancing around at the large space.

'So this is where you stay when you're here, it's pretty good' he admitted, slightly suprised by the amount of space inside.

'Actually, this isn't where I stay' I told him, taking a sip from my own cup as I waited for his reaction.

'Wait this isn't your tent?' he exclaimed, frowning in confusion at my words.

'All of the other Grounders live in the huts, so if this isn't your tent...' he went on as he worked it through his head.

'That must mean that...oh' he finished softly, as it dawned on him just who's tent we were stood in, his gaze falling on the raised, wooden throne behind him.

I watched him in amusement as he looked at me disbelievingly.

'Really? You're just full of good ideas today aren't you' he grumbled, not looking forward to facing the commander any time soon.

I suppressed a grin at his evident disapproval and placed my now empty cup down on the table behind me.

'How's everything back at camp?' I asked him, moving the topic away from our current location.

'Well that was one of the reasons why I wanted to come here to talk to you' he replied, the slight frown on his face alerting me that things weren't going as well as I had hoped.

'The council are barely keeping everything together, people were getting restless and so to keep them appeased the council gave the order for the gates to be opened, despite having received Octavia's warning about the panthers.'

'They did what!?' I exclaimed, not believing the council could be so stupid to open the gates, the only thing protecting them from the dangers on the ground.

'They didn't really think it through' he said with a frown, just as pleased as I was about their latest decision. 'It all went smoothly until a panther was sighted and the whole thing went belly up.'

I could only stare at him in shock, at a loss for words as I wondered what had possessed the council to do such a thing.

'What happened? Was anyone hurt?' I finally managed to ask, the many different scenarios running through my head.

'No, everyone got back inside pretty quickly after that and thankfully the panther moved on, but it could've gone a lot differently' he said, his anger evident at the carelessness of the council, they had endangered the lives of everyone in camp.

I lent back slightly on the table behind me, relieved that no one was hurt.

'Like I said, the council is barely holding everything together, food is running low but after the incident with the panther people are too scared to leave camp.' he told me grimly and I was filled with worry at the troubles they faced.

'How bad is it?' I asked him, dreading his reply.

'We're okay for a couple of weeks still but if the council don't get it together then we're all in trouble' he admitted, his concern telling me that this was serious.

There was a big difference between making decisions on the Ark and on the Ground, they had to take control and sort their problems out, not run away from them or put them off.

I was becoming increasingly worried about how things were going back at camp Jaha but they still had a few weeks of food left, hopefully the council would get a grip before then.

Bellamy looked like he wanted to say more but before he could, a very pissed commander came striding into the tent, a stormy expression on her face.

I pushed myself upright from where I had been previously leaning against the table behind me, standing straight as Lexa stalked towards me, completely ignoring Bellamy who remained by the entrance, watching the furious Grounder with a wary gaze.

Her face was set in a stone mask, though I sensed the storm lurking just under the surface.

'What were you thinking Clarke?' she began as she stopped in front of me, her words short and clipped.

'I could ask you the same thing' I retorted, meeting her gaze defiantly as I showed her that I was not going to be intimidated.

'What gives you the impression that it's acceptable to charge into a meeting and question me in front of my generals?' she asked in an icy tone, her hands clenched tightly by her sides at my blatant disrespect.

'What made you think that it was acceptable to throw an ally down into the pit and leave him there?' I asked tightly in return.

Her eyes narrowed as I answered her questions with my own, intent on getting an explanation.

'He came speeding towards camp, gun in hand, and assuming that he was attacking us, the Grounders on duty dealt with him as they felt best' she told me after a pause, seeing that I would not be deterred.

'Really? They felt threatened by one soldier running towards camp? Did it not occur to them that if it were an attack, there would be more than one person attacking?' I asked incredulously, still not seeing a valid reason why Bellamy had been imprisoned.

'I was only informed afterwards, whilst I was in the middle of a meeting. I was going to finish up the discussion before going to sort it out' she explained quickly as if that settled the matter.

'That's not good enough' I told her bluntly. I knew that if I let this go, the same thing would happen in the future, I had to make it clear that this was unacceptable.

Next time it could be a council member, or someone not as forgiving as Bellamy. Naturally this would threaten the alliance and we would be back to square one.

'Your warriors cannot go throwing people down the pit without good reason' I continued firmly, needing this to be set in stone.

Her face immediately darkened at my words, a dangerous glint in her eyes telling me that her tolerance was quickly running out.

'You freed a prisoner without consulting with me first, then you demand explanations from me in front of my generals.' she growled, taking a step towards me. 'We are meant to be working together Clarke, but all you appear to be doing is opposing me.'

I stayed perfectly still as she spoke, not backing up an inch when she stepped closer.

'You should not have let him out without telling me' she told me, her eyes cold as they stared into mine.

'He should never have been down there in the first place' I responded, equally as forceful.

'It was not on my command and never demand anything from me like that again' she hissed sharply and I knew she had a point. As co-leaders it was integral that we respected each other and I should've been more tactful in handling the situation.

Lexa had advanced even closer until she was barely inches away, the anger we both felt crackling like electricity between us.

'What now then? Are you going to throw me in the pit to teach me a lesson?' I asked in exasperation, both of us stubbornly sticking to our arguments.

Lexa regarded me silently for a moment, still radiating fury and for a fleeting moment I wondered if she was actually considering it.

No sooner had the thought crossed my mind, the tension drained from her face and she relaxed her stance ever so slightly.

'Of course not' she sighed lightly, closing her eyes briefly as she regained her composure.

Now that we had both made out points I felt it was the right time to resolve the issue.

'You're right, I shouldn't have released Bellamy without consulting you first, or confronted you in front of your generals' I agreed, willing to admit that I had been in the wrong and that it wouldn't happen again.

'I will make it clear to my warriors that no one will be thrown down the pit without my consent' Lexa said in return, ensuring that this would not be repeated in the future.

I nodded in agreement and was satisfied that we had both made ourselves clear.

'I would advise that you don't come charging into any more meetings unannounced, I fear that Indra will have your tongue out next time' Lexa cautioned lightly, an amused shine in her green eyes.

'I would hate to give her any excuse' I said, a slight smile playing on my lips, though I didn't doubt the lengths that the fearsome warrior would go to if she felt it necessary.

Now that the air was finally cleared between us, Lexa pulled her eyes away from me when she remembered that we were not alone.

Her gaze landed on Bellamy who had been watching the interaction with wide eyes, remaining silent so as not to draw any attention to himself.

'We were just talking about our Panther situation' I told Lexa, remembering the conversation before she had entered.

She looked back at me and opened her mouth to speak but was cut off when a voice called from outside the tent.

'Heda, the patrol is about to leave.'

'I will be back in a moment' Lexa told me before quickly leaving to see them off and give them instructions of when to return.

Bellamy let out a nervous chuckle once she was gone, turning his gaze on me.

'I don't know how you do it Clarke' he said, 'If any other Grounder spoke to the Commander like that, I doubt they would still be alive to tell the tale.'

I smiled slightly but didn't reply, his statement had been completely accurate, no other Grounder spoke so openly for fear of their life.

For reasons unknown to him, it seemed that I was exempt to this rule, he didn't know why Lexa treated me differently and that was exactly how I wanted it to stay.

We remained in silence for a few minutes until Lexa returned, gesturing for Bellamy to come over to the table where I stood.

We spent the next hour exchanging details on where patrols from each camp had explored so we could search areas that had not yet been covered.

I then filled Lexa in on the situation back at camp Jaha, how the council was struggling and food was running low.

'I can't see them sending out patrols any time soon after the panther sighting' Bellamy admitted, glancing over the map in front of us.

The patrols had covered all southern areas close to camp, but to get to the bottom of the problem they would have to go further south.

It would take longer to cover so much ground now that camp Jaha was on lock down and no more patrols were being sent out. They had covered the area around camp Jaha but now the Grounders would have to search there as well.

It meant that the Grounders would have to take on the entire task themselves.

'This is going to take forever, we now have to search twice the size without the Ark guards' I muttered, looking at the large expanse of forest that was shown on the map.

'We can't afford to spend so much time covering that area, we need the patrols from the Ark to do their part' Bellamy said, we all knew that the Grounders were fully capable of patrolling the areas, but the more time it took to do so, the more chance there was of another death caused by the panthers.

'Camp Jaha will not survive much longer if the food runs out and we all know that the council are too busy arguing amongst themselves to take any real action' Lexa said quietly beside me, also scanning the map closely.

'So what do you suggest?' Bellamy spoke up, at a loss for how to help his people. He knew that they were in trouble but he had no real power to do anything.

Lexa straightened and pulled her eyes away from the map to look at me.

'Camp Jaha must come first, then we can organise further patrols' she said. I could tell she had an idea but I was certain I wouldn't like it.

'It is obvious from everything I have been told that the camp is in need of someone to take charge, to guide them through this dark time and ensure that they all survive the next few weeks' she began carefully, my eyes widening as I realised exactly what she was getting at.

'It is time for you to return to your camp Clarke, to be the leader you were always destined to be' she told me firmly, certain that this was the only solution.

I could only stare in shock, a million thoughts blazing through my mind. Was she seriously suggesting that I return to the camp that I had only recently been banished from?

Of course I wanted the camp to regain control and remain strong but the council were obviously not doing a good job.

'She's right Clarke' Bellamy told me, 'ever since you left things have been going downhill.'

I glanced at him momentarily, contemplating his words before my gaze returned to Lexa.

She was right, someone had to take charge and keep them safe, but was returning to camp really the best option?

_**Comment and tell me what you thought :)**_


	20. Chapter 20

We left the Grounder camp early the next morning, planning to arrive at camp Jaha around midday. I was travelling with Bellamy and two other Grounders that Lexa had insisted on being present. My intention had been that only me and Bellamy would be travelling back to camp, but with the constant threat from the panthers I reluctantly agreed on the two, if any more came then it would appear that we were attacking.

'What do you plan on doing when we get there?' Bellamy asked from my side, we were walking to the camp rather than riding to make ourselves less intimidating and we weren't in that much of a hurry anyway. Besides, I knew that Bellamy was uncomfortable around horses, like many from the Ark, and I noticed his relief when he learnt that we would be travelling on foot.

'Honestly, I'm not sure' I told him, even after thinking about it long and hard, I had no set plan for when we arrived. The problem was that there were so many different scenarios, it was pointless planning for ever single one and as Lexa had once told me, plans never lasted long anyway. The best I could do was wait and see how things turned out.

'You'll think of something, I know you can do it' he replied, not a single hint of doubt in his voice that I would succeed. I wondered how he put so much faith in me after everything that had happened and wished that I felt the same way.

We remained in silence for the rest of the journey as we trudged through the forest, keeping our eyes open for any signs of danger. In no time at all we could see the faint outline of the camp through the trees and I changed our path slightly so that we were approaching just to the right of the entrance instead of directly to the front. I was hoping that this would make us appear less threatening to the guards on duty.

As we emerged from the trees into the clearing around camp, I saw a number of guards pacing the perimeter of the fence. They didn't see us at first but as we got closer I heard voices calling out and hoped that I was doing the right thing by returning. We walked slowly to make it obvious that we were not attacking, though I saw more guards jogging over to the fence and lifting their guns.

The Grounders tensed at the sight of the weapons but continued to keep their steady pace at my side. I frowned at the unnecessary lengths the guards were going to, feeling a slight pang of worry that they would shoot us down before we even got close. With Bellamy at my side I doubted they would risk hitting him, but if they thought we were holding him hostage it could explain why they were so defensive.

I opened my mouth to call out to them and make it clear that we were not a threat, but Bellamy nudged my side, drawing my attention to him.

'Clarke, look at the way they're holding the guns' he said hesitantly, narrowing his eyes to see better into the distance. I followed suit and focused on the weapons, noticing for the first time how they continued to move, to the left and right, they never stayed still.

The guards were shouting something now and I realized that it was to us, though we were to far away to make out any of their words clearly. One was gesturing frantically with his arms and it dawned on me exactly what was happening.

'They're not aiming at us' I said softly, whipping my head around around to see the black shape pacing along the treeline. Bellamy muttered something incoherent beside me and began to lift his gun but I put a hand out to stop him.

'No, we need to get to camp' I told him when he looked at me questioningly, the only way to avoid any potential accidents was by getting to the camp as fast as possible. I turned to the Grounders who were ready to draw their swords, watching me for instructions.

'We head for camp, the beast may not even leave the treeline so we have a chance of making it without having to fight' I addressed them, not wanting to loose any more warriors to the panthers. I was almost certain that we could take it down between the three of us but it was a chance that I was not willing to take unless we were left with no other option.

We began to move once again, faster this time, straight towards the camp. I glanced over my shoulder regularly to check on the Panthers location and saw that it was now emerging from the trees, it's bright eyes scanning over the camp before locking on us as we retreated. I cursed silently as it lowered itself to the ground and prowled in our direction.

Now that it was no longer hidden by the undergrowth I could clearly see that it hadn't eaten in a while, it's ribs visible under the matted fur. There was nothing worse than a hungry predator as it would do anything for a meal, and any hope I'd had of returning safely to camp was dashed.

Cursing softly under my breath I slowed slightly and let the others continue on ahead of me, the Grounders glancing back when they realized what I was doing.

'Keep going, you'll make it back to camp if you hurry' I told Bellamy, who shook his head in refusal though I didn't have time to argue about this with him. I motioned for one of the Grounders to go with him.

_'Sou nou teik em wan op'_I instructed the Grounder in Trigedasleng, telling him not to let Bellamy die. He was charged with protecting him and Bellamy knew that the warrior would drag him back to camp if it meant that my orders were carried out.

With a sigh of frustration, Bellamy relented and the two of them continued on towards camp. As I turned back to face the oncoming animal, the second Grounder drew his weapon at my side, face drawn with determination.

The animal closed on us with blinding speed, it's face morphing into a snarl as it lept forwards, filled with strength at the prospect of a meal. I dropped down and rolled away from the attack, just as Lexa had taught me, drawing my sword from my back in one fluid movement as I stood again.

The other Grounder did the same, though he was unprepared for when the Panther lunged forwards, raking sharp claws down his leg.

The Grounder stumbled slightly with a small grunt of pain, quickly jabbing his sword forwards and scratching a wound across the panthers chest before carefully darting back out of reach.

The Panther growled at the contact, baring it's pointed teeth threateningly, and seeing that the beast was becoming angry I shouted loudly to draw it's attention away from the Grounder, giving him a moment to recover from the injury.

The panther turned to me with a vicious snarl and I side stepped around it in a wide circle, moving so that I was placed between it and the Ark. The beast regarded me with a fierce stare and sunk down into a low crouch, looking for an opportunity to strike when I was least expecting it. I heard my mom shouting my name from the camp, her voice interlaced with worry but I didn't turn my attention away from the panther for a second.

The beasts eyes flicked to the camp behind me at the noise and the Grounder took advantage of the distraction to lunge forwards. Despite his injury he managed to slice his blade across its shoulder before dancing back out of range from its snapping jaws.

The panther let out a strangled yowl and pressed itself against the ground, ears flattened to its head, eyes darting wildly between us as blood trickled down from the fresh cut. A sudden burst of gunfire erupted from behind me and I ducked my head instinctively before my mom shouted for them to stop, not wanting to risk me being hit.

I heard the gate being opened in the distance and quickly glanced back to see Bellamy and the Grounder being ushered into the safety of the camp. I felt better now knowing that they were safe but my relief quickly turned to horror when I saw the five guards that emerged straight after, their faces grim as they jogged towards us, thinking that they could subdue the panther with their guns.

Tearing my eyes away from them, I saw that the creature had also noticed the movement and, deciding that they were the easier targets, prepared to maneuver around me and charge at the approaching guards.

They were steadily coming closer and I knew that if the panther did attack, then the men stood no chance against it with their guns, not even when it was weakened by hunger.

There was only one thing I could do now to prevent their deaths and without hesitating I lept forwards, slashing with my sword in a direct attack, the sudden speed of my movement catching the animal off guard as it shrank away from my blade before retaliating a split second later.

With one powerful leap it was flying through the air towards me, front paws outstretched to drive it's razor sharp claws into my chest and clamp it's jaws around my throat. I heard my mom wail in terror as she watched the scene unfold in front of her, thinking that she was about to witness my death. I moved forwards at the last second, bringing my sword up as I ducked underneath the black body, driving the sword up through it's underbelly.

The panther tried to twist at the last minute, but there was nothing it could do, howling in pain as the sword sliced through it's skin. It then crashed to the ground where it writhed in agony for a few moments before finally going still as it's dark blood spread out into the ground.

I could only stare at the dead animal by my feet, still gripping my sword tightly as if expecting it to jump up once again and resume it's attack. It was only when I looked up to see the surprised guards in front of me did I relax my posture, I had done it, I had saved them. Glancing between themselves, they silently went and grabbed the panther, carefully dragging it's heavy carcass back to camp. I shared a nod with the Grounder that was with me, the two of us then following behind the guards.

I slid my sword away when we got closer to the camp and straightaway I heard my mom's sharp voice commanding that the gates be opened immediately. The guards wisely did as she asked and the gate swung open only a moment later to let us in.

Abby coming rushing over straight away, her face filled with concern as she scanned me over for any signs of injury.

'Mom, it didn't get me, I'm okay' I assured her, lifting my arms to show that there wasn't a single scratch on me. Taking my eyes away from her I glanced around the rest of the camp. A crowd of people had gathered around the fence to watch the action, most wearing mixed expressions of fear and awe.

Before my mom could speak, a few council members shoved their way through the mass of people and came to a stop in front of me.

'Clarke, need we remind you that until further notice you were banished from this camp?' a stiff lipped man inquired, earning a scathing glare from Abby. Even the other members looked slightly shocked by his less than polite greeting after I had just prevented five deaths.

'My daughter just saved those men from being killed by that beast and that's all you have to say to her?' the chancellor said angrily, gesturing to the dead animal on the ground.

The man's eyes flicked down to the beast for a second before returning to me. I remembered him from my trial, his stony expression and burning gaze had become quite familiar in that time. It took me a moment to remember that his name was Karl, not from the original council he had no idea about how to take control of anything.

'I do believe the guards would have easily subdued the creature without your help' the man said stubbornly, not about to admit that I had just saved five of his men. Abby stared at him aghast and I immediately noted the tension between the Chancellor and the council, that was definitely something that needed addressing.

'Anyway, that is besides the point' he continued regardless, 'What are you doing here Miss Griffin?'

The question hung in the air for a few seconds and I felt the eyes that rested on me, awaiting my response.

'She is here because this camp is falling apart and we need her help if we want to survive' Bellamy said as he approached our gathering, shooting the man a chilling glare when he came to a stop by my mom.

Karl looked infuriated at Bellamys words and glanced around at the crowd who were listening intently to the discussion. The rest of the council had now emerged from the Ark and were watching the exchange with guarded expressions.

'I believe this conversation should take place somewhere quieter' he stated in a low voice, 'let us take this back into the Ark.'

He turned to lead the way but the remainder of the council glanced uneasily amongst themselves, none of them willing to follow his instruction. They glanced at the Chancellor but she was looking at me, having already guessed why I had come to camp.

'No' I said softly, the murmurs in the camp dying away at my refusal. The councilor, who had only taken a few steps to the Ark, stiffened visibly and turned slowly to face me.

'This conversation should be had some where more _private'_he insisted, stressing the last word for my comprehension. He looked down on me with such distaste I knew that I was going to enjoy putting him in his place. I got the sense that a lot of the other councilors were also tired of his behavior and that only made this easier for me.

'Well that's not going to happen. You want to have this discussion away from these people to keep them in the dark, just like on the Ark. Haven't you learnt by now how destructive it is to keep secrets?' I asked him, referring to the events that had happened on the Ark.

My dad had known how important it was for the people to know what was happening and he had been killed for it. I wouldn't let them keep making the same mistakes. The councilor straightened up as a number of people around us began to nod, their gazes switching from me to him.

'Are we going to let this _child_ tell us what to do?' he directed at the rest of the council, confident that they would support him but no one would even meet his gaze. Seeing that no help was to be found, he tutted in disgust and looked back at me.

'You don't even live here any more, you were banished' he spat, as if that would silence me.

'It isn't about that anymore though is it?. You just don't want anyone to stand up to you, to tell you that you're wrong. This camp is falling apart and you have no idea what to do about it' I said, my voice carrying across the entire camp which had fallen into complete silence. Karl seemed unable to respond, staring at me in disbelief with his mouth hanging open, never having had his actions questioned before now.

Turning my back on the pathetic man, I looked instead to the other council members who were watching uneasily, though I noticed that not one of them spoke up in defense of their fellow member.

'Your food is running short, there are Panthers roaming close to camp, the people are not happy and you are running out of time' I said bluntly, looking at each of them individually. 'What are you going to do about it?'

They looked at each other questioningly, willing someone to have a solution to the crisis. None of them spoke for a few moments and it wasn't long before one of them spoke up hesitantly.

'What would you suggest?'

I felt a rush of relief at the question, that was exactly what I had been waiting for, now they understood that they needed my help we could get to work. Charging into camp and declaring my intentions on how to make improvements would not have gone down well, and I would most likely would have been chucked straight back into a cell. Getting them to ask me for help was the only way that this would work.

'Firstly, could you get Jackson to take a look at his leg' I asked my mom, gesturing to the Grounder beside me who had the scratch from the panther. Though not a serious wound, I wanted it looked at as soon as possible to reduce chances of infection. My mom nodded and went to show the Grounder to the medical bay.

'Let's get this panther prepared and cooked, I think you could all use some meat' I said, a chorus of cheers rippling through the crowd. The second Grounder heaved the panther up with his strong arms, much to the surprise of the five guards who had barely managed to drag it in between them, and took it over to the side to begin preparing the meat, a few of the best cooks from the ark moving over to help.

I then turned to the rest of the council who were watching me expectantly. 'So here's what we do..'

The next few hours were spent discussing what was to be done, we held the meeting out in the open and the council were pleasantly surprised when a few people from the crowd put forward some sound ideas that they hadn't even considered. Even the man who had challenged me earlier was grudgingly accepting that this was a better way of dealing with the problems though he maintained a bitter silence as he listened to the conversation.

Bellamy talked me through how much food was left, which was a pitiful amount of berries and roots. I made the topic of food the first priority, they couldn't survive off of that for much longer. This in turn brought up the subject of the panthers, the council arguing that they couldn't send out anyone to hunt when the panthers were so close.

A number of guards offered to go out and protect them with their guns, wielding them proudly as if they were their most prized possessions. The council seemed to be considering this but I quickly shut the idea down, making it clear that they may as well just be throwing pebbles for all the good their guns did. Everyone fell into a thoughtful silence at that, thinking of any alternative on what to do, the guards looking slightly disappointed to hear that their weapons were useless.

'The Grounders have a way of killing the beasts, you just killed one outside the gate' Kane said, furrowing his brow as he formed an idea. 'They obviously know more about the panthers than us, maybe they could give us some help?'

Many people frowned at the suggestion, but when no-one came up with any alternative it seemed to be the only option.

'Should we even be asking the Grounders for anything? Who's to say that their leader will even agree?' one lady asked, a few others nodding in agreement. It was a fair point, though not one that I was concerned about, I knew what Lexa's reply would be if they did ask.

'Indeed, their commander seems to be somewhat..._feral'_ Karl spoke up, almost spitting the last word. I glared at him in fury, wishing that he had just remained silent. I clenched my fist in my lap as a few people began to murmur in agreement and bit back a harsh response, they had no idea what they were talking about. When I heard the word savage, it got to the point where I was about to say something when, to my surprise, my mom beat me to it.

'You all seem to be forgetting how much lenience she has shown us' Abby remarked, 'She has kindly allowed us to remain in her territory, and the alliance that we formed benefits us far more than them. She could've had us all killed after the battle at Mount Weather, sooner even, and even now you show no respect. Yes, she may come across as wild and brutal, but their ways are different to ours and we don't know enough to make that judgement, the same could be said about us.'

I kept my expression blank in an attempt to hide my shock, up until now she had only ever expressed distrust, bordering on dislike towards Lexa, and now she was defending her to the entire camp. The way she glanced over at me after her speech showed me that she was most likely making the effort for my sake, and she knew that I appreciated it.

Everyone considered the speech for a few moments and it seemed that her words had the intended effect as no-one made any more comments from then on.

_'_She would help if it was you who asked Clarke' Kane suggested, breaking me from my thoughts as many hopeful eyes turned in my direction.

I shifted slightly on the log where I was sat, shaking my head straight away, wondering where they had gotten that impression from. Thankfully the meat had finished cooking and the attention was taken away from me as plates were passed out through the camp, everyone moving to grab one from the fire. The council paused for a few minutes to gratefully receive the meat. Though the Panther had been unusually thin due to hunger, there was enough meat for everyone due to it's huge size.

'You need to sort this one out for yourselves'I told them once they were all seated again, I couldn't be running between the two camps all of the time, they had to overcome their distrust of the Grounders and speak for themselves.

I remained silent for the rest of the discussion, watching closely as they came to a final decision. Without any other better ideas they had no choice but to ask for the Grounders aid and I was relieved that they had thought of it themselves, it was what I had been hoping would happen all along, this would help to solidify the alliance and hopefully strengthen the relationship between the two camps.

I motioned for the two Grounders to come over, having now finished cooking the meat. I told them to listen to what the council had to say and then carry the message back to camp. They nodded to show their understanding before listening intently to what Abby was saying, memorizing every word that was said.

They soon left to relay the message, our group going to the gate to see them off. By then the afternoon light was starting to fade and I was satisfied that we had made a good start. The council had listened to what I was saying and didn't disregard it like they had previously, they were beginning to accept that they were in over their heads when it came to life on the ground.

I watched the two Grounders disappear into the forest, the rest of the council slowly drifting back to the Ark to finish off their meals. The atmosphere in the camp was a lot better now, no more tension in the air that I had felt on my arrival between the council and chancellor. From what I had heard, every move either had previously made had been questioned constantly by the other, mostly Abby disagreeing with the ridiculous suggestions that the council had put forwards.

As I contemplated on the days success, Bellamy wandered over and came to stand beside me, following my gaze to the treeline.

'Do you really think that the commander will help us?' he asked doubtfully, apparently having the same earlier opinion as the council regarding the Grounders willingness to support the alliance.

'I know she will' I said, feeling my annoyance from earlier bubbling up.

'From what we've seen of her, she's hardly the most...approachable person' he said, choosing his words carefully. 'You can't blame us for thinking that she would turn us away. After what happened with Finn and Gustus, people have a certain impression of her that will be hard to overcome.'

Though I understood where he was coming from, I couldn't help but shoot him a hard look, turning to walk back to the Ark. The relationship with the Grounders was shaky at best, but I was working on improving that, it didn't help when people continued to pick at things that were long in the past.

'None of you really know her, you don't even know what you're talking about' I said bluntly, and sensing that he had caused upset he mumbled a quick apology before walking over to where Monty was busy finishing off his meat.

I watched him go and almost felt bad for taking my anger out on him. They only saw the tough exterior that she put on as commander, there was a whole other side that they had yet to see. I was just relieved that today had been a relative success, now we just had to keep it up and I would do everything I could to ensure that this didn't fall apart any time soon.

_**Comment and tell me what you thought :)**_

_**Sorry for the wait, this chapter is quite long so I hope that makes up for it!**_


	21. Chapter 21

For the next week I stayed at camp Jaha, ensuring that everything went smoothly. After sending the two Grounders back with the message asking for help, the council didn't have to wait long when, the following morning, Octavia returned with a group of Grounders at her side.

They set to work immediately, starting off by teaching the people everything they knew about the panthers and how to wield a spear decently if their guns failed them.

The Grounders also taught everyone how to set up a number of traps to catch prey. Larger ones were built that were designed specifically for panthers in mind.

Not only had Lexa sent us the Grounders without delay, but also had the horses carrying packs filled with food for the camp. The council were taken aback by her cooperation and I was pleased to see a lot of people's views were becoming less critical when regarding the commander, and many were now seeing her in a new light.

Within no time at all, groups consisting of Grounders and Skaikru were heading out of camp into the forest to put their newly found skills to good use. Soon enough, successful hunts began to return and the mood in camp improved immensely. The council and chancellor were no longer at each others throats, and with fresh meat being supplied for meals, no-one had anything to complain about.

I found that people would come to me if they had any issues, and the council were consulting me with any decisions that had to made, having fully accepted that I knew what I was doing far better than they ever would.  
The remaining 44 also came into their element at this time, all of us having survived on the ground before the Ark had crashed, and had experience of things outside of the camp boundary.

A few of them had recently intercepted a camp member who had been foraging for food and was in the process of returning to camp with what looked like Jobi Nuts. This thankfully prevented the entire camp being subject to the hallucinations as we had been much earlier. Most of the hunting parties also consisted of the 44, others from the Ark being to nervous to venture outside the camp.

I was wandering through camp after having checked that the patrol had left on time when Abby caught sight of me and came rushing over, a rare smile lifting her lips. I regarded her warily as she came closer, not sure what could have caused her to look so cheery.

'Clarke, I have some wonderful news' she began, only to be interrupted when Jasper sidled up next to her with a goofy grin, inclining his head in her direction before turning his attention to me.

'Hey Clarke, thought you might be interested to know that Raven is cheating the unsuspecting out of their possessions again' he told me, ignoring the disgruntled chancellor at his side who was watching him with narrowed eyes, not happy at being interrupted.

I sighed at the news, not that it was any surprise. Games of dice were being played throughout the camp for a bit of fun, putting wagers on who would win the game had become fairly common with the residents in camp. This would be fine if a certain mechanic hadn't used her talents to allow her to win every time by weighing the dice. With just a drill and some metal, Raven had ensured that her opponent always left empty handed.

It wasn't a major problem but people were beginning to get quite upset when they lost each and every time and were beginning to suspect foul play. The game was meant to be a fun way to pass time and I would have to have some stern words with Raven about that later.

'Okay, thanks for letting me know' I said, not looking forward to the conversation to come.

'You didn't hear it from me' Jasper said, winking over dramatically before waving goodbye and slipping back to the Ark.

'So what were you saying?' I asked as the chancellor turned back to me with a frown, her expression brightening up immediately as she remembered what she had been about to say.

'Right, so before I was rudely interrupted, I was saying that I have some great news' she continued from where she had left off earlier. I nodded my head slowly, wondering what could be so amazing.

'You've been pardoned Clarke!' she said, a huge grin spreading across her face, barely able to contain her excitement. I stared at her for a moments, allowing the words to sink in.

'Uh, well, that's great' I said, smiling back at her, though her frown returned at my response.

'Yeah, they decided that after what you've done for the camp, you've been cleared of everything. You could try and look a little happier' she said, I smiled and tried to look pleased. I was glad to hear that I had been pardoned, seeing that I hadn't actually killed Ray in the first place, it was a relief to finally be announced innocent.

After not being a part of camp Jaha for so long it no longer bothered me as it once had, and over time it became less important what the council thought about me.

A chorus of angry curses reached our ears from the Ark where Raven had most likely just cheated another person out of a win.

'You'd best go and sort that out' Abby said with a sympathetic look, knowing just how hard it was to tell Raven to do anything. I shot her a quick smile before leaving and heading in the direction of the Ark.

After a lot of debating and persuasion I finally got Raven to stop using her fake dice, though I still caught her glowering sullenly at me from time to time, resentful that I had put an end to her winning streak.

The camp continued to run smoothly and soon enough I felt that they could handle things on their own. The Grounders no longer had to go out with all of the patrols and most had been sent back to their own camp, only a few remaining in case they were needed. Now that everything was back on track, I was no longer rushing about supervising everyone as they finally had everything back in order.

As much as I enjoyed being around my friends and family again, I felt an unshakable need to get back to the Grounder camp, telling myself that I just wanted to check on how things were going. It had now been almost two weeks and I was more than ready to go past the camp boundaries once more, I couldn't understand how people could be content to remain enclosed for such a long period of time but they seemed happy enough.

Whilst the camp was busy eating their evening meal, I choose that quiet moment to excuse myself and seek out the two Grounders that now remained in the camp. I told them to prepare the horses early next morning for our departure, but to not draw any attention to themselves and to only let Octavia know when we would be leaving.

I wasn't going to leave without letting anyone know, but I would tell them at the last minute, knowing full well that they would all be set on convincing me to stay for longer now that I had been pardoned. Especially my mom who would do everything she could to stop me from going.

When I woke the next morning I pulled on my armor and headed outside the Ark to find my friends and let them know that I was going. Though reluctant to see me going again, they wished me goodbye without too much trouble. I just had to let my mom know I was off, but first I had to find her.

My mom saved me the effort when she came up to me in the middle of camp, words already spilling out of her mouth before I could speak.

'Everyone's been so supportive about you coming back, lots of people were very insistent that you should be pardoned. Now that you...'

Her words trailed off when she saw that I was still wearing grounder gear, having supplied me with a heap of my old clothes the previous night for me to change into. She gave me a questioning look before her gaze travelled over my shoulder to where the Grounders stood waiting with the horses, realization dawning on her features.

'You're going? Didn't you hear what I said yesterday? You've been pardoned, you don't have to stay with them anymore, you can live here again now.'

I stayed quiet, dropping my gaze to the ground as I attempted to come up with a response that wouldn't upset her. My lack of response was all that she needed though, a look of resignation spreading across her face that nothing she said would make any difference.

'You don't want to stay here do you?' she said quietly, my eyes lifting to hers as I heard the sadness in her voice. Her earlier excitement had now disappeared and I felt bad for being the one to take away that happiness, but I couldn't let that stop me.

'It's not like I'm leaving forever mom, I can spend time between both camps' I reassured her, not that this made her any less upset.

'This is your home Clarke, now that you've been pardoned there shouldn't be any reason for you not to stay here permanently' she argued, and I hoped that she wasn't going to make this difficult. I had my reasons for returning to the Grounder camp, and after staying in camp Jaha for the past week I was more than ready to get back.

Abby straightened up and fixed me with a thin smile, not overly pleased by my plan to leave, but not about to start a fight over it.

'You know how much I would love for you to stay, but if that's not what you want, then nothing I do or say will change your mind' she said, having learnt from past experiences that her objections would be useless.

After a quick goodbye, I easily lept up onto my horse, Octavia and the two Grounders then doing the same. The guards opened up the gate behind us without question, and we wheeled our horses around, passing through the fenced enclosure and out of the camp.

It was a relief to finally be out in the open, not cramped up in the small camp. The trip back was uneventful, the patrols were covering this route continuously to allow safe passage between the two camps.

Octavia didn't speak a word for the entire trip and we rode in silence, allowing me to enjoy the rare quiet that was so hard to come by. As we got closer to camp I increased our speed slightly, eager to be back once again after so long.

I nodded to the two guards on duty as we passed into camp, the four of us then dismounting from our horses. As the Grounders took care of the horses Octavia immediately left in search of Indra, striding through the quiet camp to the warriors hut.

A few Grounders were gathered around the fire, though most seemed to be out hunting or on a patrol. I headed straight for the commanders tent, feeling slightly disappointed to see no guards outside, informing me that she wasn't there.

I then searched the rest of the camp methodically for any sign of her, though as I paced through camp for the second time, Nyko rose from his seat by the fire to approach me.

'Klarke, mounin houm' he greeted me with a small smile, welcoming me back to camp. I nodded in return but was still intent on finding Lexa.

'Mochof, Is the Commander here?' I asked, ignoring the fact that I had just scoured the entire camp from top to bottom without luck.

'She left camp with Indra earlier today, she told no-one when they planned on returning' he told me, and I felt my shoulders dip slightly at the news.

I thanked Nyko for his time and decided to go to the secluded river for a while to pass the time. Whilst there were no pressing issues to deal with, I might as well take advantage of the moment. I left camp and went past the training ground, on a little further where no-one would disturb me.

I was soon at the river, relishing in the peace and quiet that it provided. I lowered myself to the ground and lent my back against a large tree trunk, closing my eyes as I listened to the bubble of the stream and the sounds of nature that surrounded me. It was nice to take some time away from the pressure of leading and just have a moment to myself, allowing my thoughts to wander as they pleased and forgetting my worries for a time.

I didn't know how long I had been sat there for when I heard low voices approaching. I cracked my eyes open just in time to see Lexa and Indra emerging from the trees, their guard trailing a short distance behind them. Lexa looked slightly irritated at whatever Indra was saying, and was about to snap back a fiery response when they noticed me by the stream, watching them with wide eyes.

I hadn't been expecting to encounter anyone out here and was more surprised than anything that they had stumbled across me. Indra had moved on from the surprise and was glaring darkly at me, but I was more focused on the Commander at her side.

Lexa looked just as stunned to find me out here, though her previous irritation was clearly fading as a smile spread across her face, an answering one forming without thought on my own lips. We continued grinning at each until Lexa noticed Indra glancing sideways at her, eyes flicking between the two of us questioningly as if she was missing out on some private joke.

The Commander expertly masked her expression once again, though I noticed the small quirk of her lip did not disappear entirely.

'Commander' I said in way of greeting, inclining my head to Indra who remained tight lipped.

After a moment of silence Lexa turned and told Indra to return to camp without her, instructing the guard to accompany her.

Indra looked like she was going to argue but nodded instead, marching away with the guard following close behind, leaving just me and Lexa in the small clearing.

'Clarke, I didn't expect to find you out here' she said as she moved closer, coming to stand by the tree I was resting against.

'Well, I didn't know when you would return to camp, so I came out here to just have a moment to myself before we have to deal with some other crisis' I explained, having learnt to always take advantage of the quiet moments, you never knew how long you had until things took a turn for the worse.

Lexa nodded in understanding, having done the same thing before in peaceful times.

'Then I would not want to disturb you. I will return to camp and have a guard sent here to escort you back when you feel that you are ready' she insisted, turning away to head in the direction of camp.

'Wait' I called out quickly before she disappeared into the trees. Lexa stopped moving but didn't turn around.

'Stay, I mean...if you want to that is' I hastily corrected myself, realizing that it had sounded like an order.

Lexa finally turned to face me, looking amused by my quick recovery and came to sit beside me, lowering herself down so that her back also rested against the large tree trunk.

'What were you doing out here?' I asked curiously, wondering what had caused them to leave camp without a word to anyone.

'Indra wanted to discuss a few things with me' Lexa replied, but didn't elaborate further and I didn't push for more information, sensing that it would be a waste of time.

'I didn't know that you would be returning today' she went on, skillfully changing the topic away from her venture into the forest.

I filled her in on everything that had happened back at camp Jaha, how they were hunting well and everything was falling back into order.

She listened intently until I was finished, congratulating me on my success in regaining control.

'Octavia told me about what happened with the Panther, your skills have increased greatly, you learnt quickly' she complimented me, a hint of pride in her voice as she turned her gaze to me.

'I was taught by the best' I replied with a smile, leaning over to bump her shoulder playfully with my own. She laughed softly and we settled into an easy silence, just enjoying being in each others company.

I hadn't realized quite how much I had been missing Lexa's presence, but as I sat by her side in the clearing, it became clear to me that it was seeing her again that I had been most looking forward to after my time at camp Jaha.

Lexa eventually pushed herself up from the ground with a light sigh, turning back to offer me a hand up.

'We'd best get back to leading our people' she said when I gripped her hand, pulling me effortlessly to my feet.

We walked slowly back to camp, not in any rush to return, content just to be spending time together without the weight of responsibility.

We took the long route going back, arriving through the main entrance where the guards were posted. As we entered the camp, a group of Grounders were stood in a huddle near the fire and Lexa came to a stop close to them.

At first I didn't understand what they were doing, but it soon became clear when one of them shifted to the left slightly and I saw the piece of metal that was being inspected.

I forgot how to breathe for a moment when I saw the letters _TonDc _engraved into the metal. I was hit with the familiar guilt and as I tried to push it away, one of the Grounders approached and held out the sign for the commander to see.

Lexa examined it closely for a few seconds before she nodded her approval and the Grounders carried the sign between them to the entrance.

'Whilst you were gone it was decided that this village should be named TonDc in memory of what happened.' Lexa explained, glancing over in concern when I drew in a sharp breath.

It definitely made me remember and I swallowed thickly as I regained my composure.

'Do you not approve of the name?' she asked, watching me closely. 'I understand that it brings up dark memories, we can have a different one made if you would prefer.'

I glanced over at her in surprise, astonished to see that she was deadly serious. The Grounders had unanimously decided on the name and it was not my place to disregard their wishes.

'Lexa, you can't change the name of the entire village for me!' I said with a small laugh, though she didn't seem amused.

'I am the Commander of 12 clans Clarke, I can do what I please' she said, her tone completely serious and I knew that she wouldn't hesitate to have the name changed if I desired it.

'No, the name stays as it is, but thank you' I told her firmly, having no intention of going against the decision of the entire village.

Shaking my head in disbelief I glanced around the camp and noticed that Octavia was fixing me with a cool stare. The smile slipped from my face straight away when I saw the accusation in her eyes, reminding me that she would not let me forget about my role in the explosion.

I looked down when she broke the eye contact and strode away, her body rigid as she disappeared inbetween the scattered huts. Lifting my gaze I realized that Lexa had also been watching Octavia with narrowed eyes.

'Is Octavia upsetting you?' she asked tightly and I didn't miss how her hand twitched towards the dagger at her hip.

I remembered what she had been willing to do to Octavia before and hoped she didn't get any ideas like that again.

'It's fine, she just needs some time to get her head around what happened' I said quickly, relieved when Lexa nodded slowly, though she still remained doubtful.

We continued to walk through camp, and I could only hope that she was going to leave Octavia to it, the last thing I wanted was to have a repeat of last time.

_Leave and comment and tell me what you thought :D_


	22. Chapter 22

I woke up early the next morning, wanting to find Lexa before she became tied up with any meetings. I quickly dressed and strode out of my tent where I was intercepted by Octavia, who had seemingly been waiting for me to emerge.

I stilled and regarded her warily, wondering what she wanted. We weren't on good terms and this was the first time she had approached me to talk for weeks, resorting instead to icy glares and silent resentment.

'Clarke, I know we've been having differences of opinion lately, but I thought it was about time we talked this through' she said quickly before I had a chance to say anything, raising her head defiantly as if I would refuse.

I could think of better times and places to do this but if it cleared the air between us than I was more than willing and nodded in agreement.

'I understand that you don't agree with what I did that day-'

'You mean abandon an entire village and let 250 people die in an explosion rather than do the right thing and prevent their deaths' Octavia cut in bluntly, her steady gaze boring into me.

'Octavia, there was no right thing to do in that situation-'

'No Clarke, you and Lexa could've warned everyone but you just left us to die and saved your own skins' she hissed, the anger evident in her voice.

I pushed down my rising annoyance at being interrupted and tried to speak reasonably, even though Octavia's idea of talking things through seemed to be just making accusations against me so far.

'If we'd evacuated the village, how long do you think it would've taken them to figure out that we had someone on the inside and had Bellamy killed?' I replied, Octavia stilling at the mention of her brother.

'Then our people wouldn't have been freed from the mountain, or the Grounders that were imprisoned and they all would have died instead' I added, seeing that I was starting to get through to her.

'All of those people in that village died because of you' she stated, remaining tense as she clung to her anger.

'I made a choice Octavia' I told her firmly 'a choice that I didn't want to make but I had to. Either way people died and it rested on my decision, that's what being a leader involves. I have to live with what I did every day, but if I could go back I can't say that I would've chosen differently. You've never been faced with such a weighty decision before and I hope you never will, but what's done is done and there's nothing that can be changed about it now.'

Octavia considered my words for a moment and I almost thought that she was going to argue further but in the end I saw some of the tension ease from her body and her gaze softened slightly.

'I know I've been acting cold towards you lately Clarke, and I won't be able to forget what happened at TonDc, but I will make more of an effort to move past it. There's little use us fighting over something that cannot be altered, I see that now' she told me, her defiant posture becoming more relaxed after the confrontation.

'Thnakyou' I said in return, glad that she was finally moving past her anger and attempting to make things better between us. She nodded briefly and slipped away without another word, quickly dissapearing from sight.

I felt better now that we had finally discussed what had happened and now that the air was finally cleared we could try to move past this.

I resumed my walk to Lexa's tent but she emerged as I approached, walking the short distance left between us when she saw me. I gave her a small smile of greeting when she stopped in front of me, though I was still thinking of Octavia and her attempt at reconciliation.

'Are you okay Clarke? You seem to be distant' Lexa inquired, watching me closely as I pulled myself away from my thoughts.

'Oh it's nothing, Octavia just surprised me that's all. She suggested we talk our differences through and it looks like we're on the way to being friends again' I briefly summarized, not needing to go into the specific details. Lexa nodded at my words, not appearing surprised by Octavia's actions.

'Did you say anything to her?' I asked, certain that Octavia would never make such a move without some persuasion.

'No, I did not. It seems Indra was tiring of the girl's behavior and had a sharp word with her' Lexa replied, and that made sense. Indra had figured out what we had done at TonDc but understood our decision, most likely she felt her second should also be more understanding of our choice.

'Did you wish to speak to me about something?' Lexa asked a moment later, interrupting my thoughts. My mind went blank for a moment at the question until I remembered that I had been on my way to Lexa's tent when she had emerged.

'Actually yes, I was going to ask if you would like to come hunting with me' I told her, though afterwards I felt slightly embarrassed as I knew there were other things she would most likely be wanting to do.

'I totally understand if not, you know it was just that after being stuck in camp Jaha for so long I wanted to get out and about for a bit, so hunting seemed perfect. I know you probably had other plans that are more pressing so-'

'Clarke'

I stopped babbling when Lexa spoke my name firmly, cutting off my ramblings. I shut my mouth quickly before I could say anything else and gazed sheepishly at the commander.

'I would certainly like to come hunting with you' she assured me with a smile, eyes shining with amusement as I let out a short laugh at my bumbling speech. Lexa selected three Grounders to accompany us on the trip, and they went to gather their weapons.

'Any progress with our Panther situation?' I asked whilst we were waiting, Lexa shaking her head in response.

'Not yet, I have to send out some more patrols but they will return in the next few days, and then we can exchange our findings with the Skaikru camp. From there we can see exactly where the majority of the panthers are originating from and make a plan from there' she explained, giving me a brief overview of what we were working towards. There wasn't time to say anything else when the Grounders reappeared fully armed and we set off into the trees.

We didn't have to go far before we came across a faint boar track, it's prints instantly recognizable. Those of us sent down in the drop ship had hunted a large number of these animals when we had first landed. The tracks appeared to be fairly fresh so we followed them for a while until the animal came into sight, foraging loudly in the undergrowth.

Lexa made a slight motion with her hand and the three Grounders at our backs stilled immediately. The two of us stayed mostly out of sight by a tree and Lexa leaned close to whisper in my ear.

'I will take this one, watch carefully' she breathed lightly, her voice barely audible even at such close proximity. I shivered slightly as her breath sent tingles along my neck but focused my gaze on her as she moved slowly out from behind the tree.

I recalled her words from the last hour as we had been tracking the prey, teaching me all I need to know about the perfect hunt. Lexa had been very clear that it was all about the stealth and not the spear throw, the trick was to get as close as you could without being noticed.

I watched as she carefully crept forwards, coming to a stop only a few meters away from the unsuspecting boar. She slowly drew back her throwing arm, not making any sudden movements that would alert the animal to her presence.

After a brief pause in which she made slight adjustments to her angle, she cast the spear forwards in a lightening quick movement, the boar not even registering what was happening before the spear pierced forcefully through its upper body, sending it crashing to the ground. Lexa then moved forwards and finished it off as we approached, retrieving the spear from the lifeless body.

'That was amazing!' I exclaimed, slightly in awe of how simplistic she had made the whole thing appear. Lexa smiled slightly at the compliment, holding the spear out for me to take.

'Would you like to try now?' she asked and I nodded eagerly, taking the offered spear. It was far lighter than I had thought, but then it had to be to fly through the air. We searched for more tracks and soon came across another boar, this time I crept forwards with Lexa at my side, the two of us moving silently towards our prey.

I tried to remember exactly how Lexa had done this previously and copied her movements, slowly pulling back my arm once I was close enough. The boars head snapped up at the movement and locked its gaze with mine before charging towards us a split second later.

In a moment of panic I hurled my spear with as much strength as I could muster which sent it soaring through the air and disappearing into the undergrowth far to the right of the angry animal.

It let out a series of angry snorts as it charged in attack, its large body capable of causing a lot of damage at such close contact. I reached to grab my sword but I would have no time to wound the boar before it was on me.

With lightening quick speed Lexa had her bow in her hands and notched an arrow, releasing it without hesitation to fly the short distance and bury itself in the animals chest. The boar let out a loud squeal as its legs crumpled and it fell to the ground at my feet. I sheathed my half drawn sword and looked over to Lexa in thanks.

'I can try again right?' I asked a second later, not wanting this to put an end to our trip. Lexa nodded and a smirk formed on her face.

'You might need to go and retrieve the spear first' she suggested, and I remembered how I had thrown it wide without thinking. After some time of searching through the undergrowth I eventually found the spear and we went on to find another animal for me to take down.

After about an hour or so we came across a deer and once again crept as close as we could. As I lifted my arm to line up the shot someone else joined us by the tree, all of us concealed from the deer.

'Heda...' Octavia whispered, keeping her voice quiet so as not to disturb the hunt and I kept my attention on the deer, barely listening to interaction at my side.

'Mhmm' Lexa hummed softly in response, her eyes intently watching my actions, ready to correct my stance or technique if need be. I lined up the spear perfectly with my prey, taking a deep breath as I drew back my arm, ready to hurl the spear. I was confident that this time I would not miss, I just had to wait for the perfect moment. The deer shifted slightly as it continued to graze and I had the perfect shot to take it down.

'The Chancellor has just arrived' Octavia told the commander just as I brought my arm forwards, her words causing me to lose concentration momentarily and the spear flew threw the air before piercing the ground about a meter away from the deer which reacted instantly, darting away in a panic. Two of the Grounders accompanying us raced off in pursuit of the animal, intent on capturing it for the meal.

'What did you say?' I asked as I whirled around to face Octavia, wondering if I had misheard her.

'Your mum just arrived at camp, she was asking to speak to the two of you' she clarified, looking slightly apologetic for having made me lose my concentration. I was surprised that my mom had come to camp in person rather than just sending Bellamy or anyone else to deliver the message for her and I couldn't help but be suspicious of her intentions.

'We will return immediately' Lexa told Octavia, before turning to me. 'If that is okay with you?'

'We'd best see what she wants to say' I agreed, our group then beginning the return journey to TonDc. We hadn't gone a far distance from camp due to the risk of panthers so it didn't take long until we arrived, Octavia leading us to where my mom was waiting patiently in the center of camp.

Indra was eyeing her distrustfully as we approached though my mom took no notice of her, a smile spreading across her face when she saw me and moved over to meet us.

'Clarke, it's good to see you' my mom said brightly as she looked me over and I smiled in return, her eyes then flicking to the Commander who was watching her carefully.

'Chancellor, what brings you here?' Lexa asked, her lack of greeting putting my mom off her stride for a moment before she began to explain.

'Well, we were going to send a group up into the mountain to see if there is anything of use and thought some of your people would like to join us?' she told Lexa, her words met with a stony silence. A few of the Grounders that were present began to mutter at the mention of the mountain and the unease was instantly noticeable.

'Why would you wish to venture back into that terrible place?' Lexa asked coldly, not seeing why anyone would go back of their own free will after the horror that had taken place there.

'There might be supplies that we could all make use of, weapons and even medicine' my mom replied, not perturbed by the commanders apparent dislike of the suggestion.

'Do you agree that it could be beneficial to us Clarke?' Lexa asked me, and I considered for a moment before replying.

'If they do have these supplies then it could be worth checking it out, especially if they have more advanced medicine' I offered, agreeing that it could be a good idea to go, who knows what the mountain still contained that could be of use. Lexa nodded and looked back at my mom who was waiting for a reply.

'We will have a group join yours to explore the mountain, when do you plan on going?' Lexa inquired and my mom thought for a second before replying that they planned on heading up there in three days.

It was definitely worth going up to the mountain to have a look around, and I was glad that my mom had thought to ask us. I glanced at her suspiciously when she continued to hover in front of us, obviously still having more to say. I had hoped that was all that she had come to talk to us about, but I still had my suspicions that there was something more to this. Lexa watched her silently as we waited for her to speak her mind.

'This camp is closer to the mountain than ours, and now that you've agreed on joining us, it would be pointless for me to return back to camp only to then leave again with the others' she began, and I saw where she was taking this. 'I thought it would best that I stay here until the others arrive, they will be here in three days to go up to the mountain.'

I shot her a look which she blatantly ignored, keeping her gaze on the commander who was thinking through the suggestion. Lexa wouldn't agree to this... surely not...

'That makes sense, you may share a hut with one of my warriors for the next few days' Lexa told her and I bit back a groan, not able to believe that this was happening. Abby gave the commander a huge smile and thanked her before looking back at me.

Having my mom in camp was going to be the longest three days of my life, no doubt she was here to observe my every move and see what it was that made me want to come back here instead of staying at camp Jaha permanently. I glanced at Lexa who was unaware of what her decision had meant, my mom was going to use these two days two her advantage and I was not looking forward to it one bit.

_**Comment and tell me what you thought :D**_


	23. Chapter 23

Lexa quickly excused herself to go and sort out the last few patrols, the other Grounders around us slowly beginning to disperse. I took a step closer to my mom when we were alone, far from happy about the new arrangement.

'What are you doing here?' I questioned her in a hushed tone, not fooled for one moment by the innocent expression on her face.

'I don't know what you mean Clarke, it just made sense to stay here instead of making a pointless journey back to camp' she insisted, as if that were a perfectly reasonable explanation, which it would be if it was anyone else.

'Normally you would just send Bellamy with any messages, you could've travelled here with the others in three days time, so why come personally today?' I asked suspiciously, attempting to get an honest response.

'Not everything I do has an ulterior motive, I don't know what more you want me to say' she said dismissively, as if I were being ridiculous though I knew that this was not me over thing things.

I didn't have an opportunity to push further when Lexa returned at my side, quickly picking up on the tension from my mom's defensive stance and my narrowed eyes.

'Chancellor, if you would like to follow me I will show you to the tent where you will be staying for the next few days' she said, motioning for Abby to follow her through camp. My mom shot me one last look before she went and I shook my head at her lack of subtlety. When they disappeared between the scattering of huts, my attention turned to where Lincoln and Octavia where seated by the fire. They gestured for me to join them so I moved over to them with a smile.

'Clarke, it's good to see you' Lincoln greeted me warmly, gesturing for me to take a seat on the log next to theirs.

'It has been a while since we have spoken' I replied as I took a seat. We had both been caught up with our duties and hardly saw each other so it was nice to talk to him properly.

'We heard about the plans to search the mountain' Octavia spoke up, having been present when my mom had arrived. The Grounders were uneasy about the news but wouldn't dare speak against the commanders decision.

'Do you think that's a good idea?' she continued, fully aware how much the Grounders detested the mountain after what had taken place there.

'If we find supplies still in the mountain, which I'm almost certain there will be, we could make good use of them' I replied, thinking especially of any medicine that we could bring back. Octavia nodded in agreement but I knew that not everyone would be so accepting of the decision to travel back to the mountain. Our conversation came to a stop when Indra's sharp voice was heard from the other side of the fire, calling impatiently for her second. Octavia grimaced and gave Lincoln a quick peck on the cheek before jumping to her feet.

'I'll see you guys later' she said as she hurried across the clearing to where Indra stood with a scowl on her face. They exchanged a few words before moving away from the fire and out of sight. As I watched them go, I saw my mom moving through the huts in the direction of the fire that me and Lincoln were sitting by. She hadn't caught sight of us yet but she was clearly hunting for me, her gaze scouring everywhere for my location. It just so happened that Lexa passed by on her way to a meeting with her generals, and so rather than face my mom I jumped up from the log and quickly caught up with the commanders long strides.

She looked suprised when I appeared at her side but didn't comment when she saw my mom in the distance, understanding my need to keep out of her way. We soon arrived at the hut where the meetings took place and I hurried inside, knowing that a guard would be placed at the entrance to ensure that we weren't interrupted. There was no way my mom could bother me whilst I was in here. These meetings were generally dull and uneventful, Lexa had assured me before that I didn't have to attend but today I would make an exception.

We only emerged a good few hours later when a few matters took longer than expected to be resolved and it was relief when it finally came to end and we could leave. Lexa continued the discussion with her general, listening intently to his words as they walked through camp and eventually dissapeared from sight. I glanced around and was thankful that my mom was nowhere in sight, most probably checking out her new accommodation.

In the time that I had been gone, Octavia had returned to the side of the fire and was seated once more with Lincoln. She gave me a smile when I joined them, and it was a relief to be a part of their light hearted conversation after the dreary discussion with the generals. The fire was now blazing as the day came to an end and evening drew on, the boar that I had hunted earlier that day being prepared for our meal.

'I heard about your hunting trip earlier' Lincoln said with a smile and my gaze went immediately to Octavia who didn't look in the slightest bit ashamed. She had obviously told him how I had missed the animal by a good few metres but only after she had distracted me.

'I had a perfect shot before someone disrupted by concentration' I said defensively, causing Lincoln to laugh heartily at my expression and I couldn't help but smile in return.

We continued talking until the food was ready, at which point my mom appeared and took a seat on the other side of the fire after grabbing a plate of meat. Octavia glanced sideways at me, considering going to join the chancellor but a slight movement of my head told her not to bother. For the moment my mom was content to stay in the distance and observe from afar. This irritated me hugely but all I could do was ignore her.

I succeeded for the next few hours as darkness fell over the camp and from the corner of my eye I saw Abby quietly slip away from the fire to go back to her own hut. It was a relief to be free from her unwavering gaze and observation, though it wasn't long before I was starting to feel drowsy. After bidding goodnight to Octavia and Lincoln, I headed for my tent, looking forward to getting some sleep.

I froze only a short distance from the tent when I saw my mum just ahead going in the same direction and pressed closer against the hut at my side so that I was enveloped in shadows. As I watched, she barely hesitated a moment at the entrance before pushing inside and I stifled a groan as I wondered what she could possibly want with me this late at night. She'd gone straight in without glancing back so hadn't seen me hovering by the nearby hut, torn about what to do.

Deciding that I would rather not deal with her at that moment, I changed direction slightly and headed to Lexa's tent instead which stood not to far from my own. I was not surprised to find it empty as I had seen the commander earlier having a quiet conversation with Indra outside the warriors hut, though I doubted she would be gone too much longer. As predicted I heard the faint sounds of her return not twenty minutes later, her footsteps coming to a sudden stop when she saw that she was not alone.

'Clarke? What are you doing here so late?' she asked as she took in the scene before her.

'Hiding' I mumbled in reply, to tired to give any further explanation. A second later Lexa's footsteps resumed as she crossed to the other side of the tent.

'Must you do it on my bed?' she inquired after a small sigh though there was no annoyance in her voice, and I was almost certain I heard a hint of amusement.

After finding Lexa's tent unoccupied, I had taken up residence on her bed of furs. My intention was not to fall asleep, though I was feeling very settled and I had to fight away the prospect.

With my face pressed against the comfortable furs, I could only listen to Lexa's soft footsteps to determine where she was. With a huge amount of energy, I cracked my eyes open and peered over my shoulder to see what she was doing. I immediately regretted it when I saw that she had her back to me and was in the process of changing out of her armor into comfier clothes.

She looked different without any of the bulky armor on, and I was mesmerized by how the candlelight danced across the exposed skin on her arms and shoulders. Squeezing my eyes shut once more, I burrowed back into the furs as I tried to banish the image from my mind but without any success. Thankfully Lexa was oblivious to my internal war with what I had just seen and after slipping on a jacket she turned back to face me, leaning on the table behind her.

'So what brings you to my tent this late at night?' she inquired, crossing her arms over her chest as she fixed her gaze on where I was sprawled on her bed.

'My mom's waiting back at my tent to ambush me' I mumbled into the bed, thankful for the opportunity to redirect my thoughts onto Abby.

Lexa pushed away from the table and I heard her soft footsteps near as she rounded the bed to the side where I lay, perching herself on the edge by my legs. As she approached I twisted partly onto my back to see her better.

'She's making me on edge being here, and now she's at my tent in the middle of the night for whatever reason' I complained, annoyed at my mom for putting me in these situations. Lexa patted me sympathetically on my leg, fully aware just how determined my mum could be when she wanted something.

'I'm sure it's nothing serious, maybe she just wants to do some mother daughter bonding' she teased with a smile smile, causing me to groan and cover my face with my hands. I couldn't think of anything worse. The only conciliation was that in only two days we would be going up to the mountain and then she would be returning to camp Jaha. I just had to put up with her for a few more days and then she would no longer be bothering me.

Lexa seemed to be having the same line of thought as her gaze drifted around the interior of the tent before returning to me. We both tensed slightly, our eyes dropping simultaneously to where her hand remained on my leg, absentmindedly tracing patterns with her thumb.

A mortified expression crossed her face and she pulled her hand into her lap with a mumbled apology, though I felt a stab of dissapointment at the loss of contact. I swallowed thickly at the realisation and saw Lexa doing the same, fixing her gaze solely on the flickering light of the candle by the bed, refusing to look elsewhere. Silence filled the small space between us until it became almost unbearable, and I was desperately thinking of something to say. I was saved the effort when Lexa spoke softly and broke the tension.

'We both know that you're mom won't be going anywhere until she has spoken with you.'

She was right about that, though I was reluctant to leave the tent and face her, even with the slight tension that still remained in the air.

'Abby will be wondering where you are, besides you can't stay here all night' she continued, sensing my reluctance to go and see what my mom wanted. She gave up trying to avoid my gaze and her eyes locked with mine, an idea forming in my head as I looked back at her.

'Well, I could...' I retorted playfully, both our eyes widening the instant the words left my mouth. A hot blush spread across my face at the unintentional meaning behind my words, silently cursing my inability to know when to stop talking. Tiredness momentarily forgotten, I heaved myself up and off the bed, a forced laugh escaping my lips.

'Yeah, only joking' I mumbled, staring intently at the ground, thinking desperately of a way out of this situation.

'So, I'd best go and see what my mom wants' I said, edging slowly away from the bed towards the exit. I mumbled a quick good night as I turned and fled from the tent as soon as possible, barely hearing the quiet good luck that Lexa wished me as I left.

My mom was far from my mind when I emerged into the night, the cool air doing little to soothe by burning cheeks. With thoughts of Lexa filling my head, I was barely aware of anything else as I crossed the short distance back to my tent. I stopped short in surprise when I found my mom waiting inside, trying her hardest to make it appear as if she hadn't just been carefully inspecting the interior of my tent.

'Clarke, I've been waiting ages for you to return, where have you been?' she asked me, crossing her arms over her chest. I was suprised that after all this time she was still here, not that I was pleased about it.

'I was just...out on a walk' I lied quickly, having no intention of letting my mom know where I had really been. Her frown told me that she didn't buy that for a second.

'Really? In the middle of the night?' she asked disbelievingly.

'Yes in the middle of the night' I snapped in return, brushing past her to where my small table stood and ran a hand through my disheveled hair in an attempt to smooth it down.

'And what happened on this _wal_k that made you so wound up' she retorted, turning to watch me.

'You're relentless questions are getting tiring' I deflected, unbuckling my shoulder guard and lying it down on the table. When I turned back to face my mom she was watching me with raised eyebrows, knowing full well that I was not telling her the full story but left it at that.

'So are you going to deny that the only reason you're here is to try and persuade me to return to camp Jaha?' I asked her, deciding that it was my turn to pose the questions.

'Maybe that's a small part of it' she admitted, not elaborating any further than she needed to. I pierced her with a dark stare and she rolled her eyes on exasperation.

'Fine, even if you're not going to be truthful with me, I don't understand why you would want to stay here instead of coming back home' she continued, not understanding what could possibly be keeping me here.

'I think you should go back to your hut now' I said pointedly, having had enough of the interrogation. It was late and I was in no mood to explain my actions.

'But Clarke-'

'No, I'm tired and I think it's time you left' I cut in, my mom tightening her jaw at the dismissal but thankfully didn't argue.

'I'll talk to you tomorrow, have a good night' she said in parting before turning on her heel and striding out of my tent, head held high.

I sank down onto my bed when she was gone, everything I had felt over the past few hours rushing over me in a second. I hadn't meant to snap at my mom but she was intent on finding out why I was staying here, and that wasn't something that I was ready to admit to myself let alone her just yet.

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	24. Chapter 24

After my late night, I slept in slightly later than usual. I had nothing urgent that required my attention so it wasn't a problem and I felt better for getting enough sleep. I had decided that it was best to go and find Lexa straight away, the sooner we spoke the sooner we could put what happened last night behind us. Once I had summoned the courage to actually leave and go outside, the first place I went to was her tent but I found it empty.

This was not unusual and so I wandered around camp hoping for any sign of her but she couldn't be found anywhere. Without having any luck I resigned myself to the fact that I was going to have to wait for her to return from wherever it was she had gone. As the hours passed by I couldn't help but notice the small knot of worry that was forming in my stomach, and it soon began to show to the others. Some of the Grounders began to shoot me questioning glances as I passed through the center of camp for the third time in a row. After searching the entire camp top to bottom many times over, I was only left with the conclusion that she wasn't in camp. Not allowing my worry to completely overtake me, I strode over to where Indra was emerging from her hut.

'Indra' I called out as I approached, earning myself an icy glare of disinterest, though it didn't bother me in the slightest. 'Have you seen Lexa at all today?'

I came to a stop in front of the warrior and waited expectantly for her answer.

'I have not seen the _Commander _since yesterday' she all but growled in reply, less than pleased by my informal reference to her leader.

'Surely she would've told you if she were planning on going anywhere' I went on desperately, surely someone must know where she had gone.

'The Commander is fully capable of taking care of herself, and if she didn't let anyone know then I'm sure she had her reasons' Indra retorted, giving me no chance to reply as she strode away without another word.

I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath. Indra was right, Lexa was the commander of 12 clans and I didn't know why I was so worried. To pass the time I made myself busy around camp, finding anything to capture my attention.

There was only so much time I could waste, and a few hours later I found myself back in my tent with only one thing on my mind. Having seen me return to my tent, Octavia had soon joined me and was perched at the end of my bed as I paced the length of the tent.

It was late afternoon at this point, and if nobody had seen Lexa leave then it must've been when it was still dark. It couldn't have been much longer after I had left her tent, remembering that no one had been outside at the time. A drawn out sigh interrupted my thoughts and I shot a quick glare in Octavia's direction but she was more interested in the sharpness of the blade that she was inspecting.

'Clarke, if you don't stop pacing I will throw my dagger at you' she said in all seriousness, but I took no notice of her and continued regardless.

The question was why had Lexa not yet returned? It was most likely that she was completely fine, but thoughts of panther attacks and the ice nation kept coming to mind. As Octavia released yet another sigh my mom ducked into the tent, looking like she had plenty to say, and this time it was my turn to sigh.

'Clarke, I'm glad I caught you, there were some things I wanted to talk about with you' she began, completely oblivious to her awful timing. She noticed Octavia perched on my bed and shot her a questioning glance.

'Now isn't really the best time Abby' Octavia told her, shifting her gaze pointedly to where I was pacing to and fro. My mom nodded slowly and leaned in closer to Octavia.

'What's she doing?' my mom asked in a hushed tone and I bit my lip to stop a harsh response from escaping. Why she thought that I couldn't hear her was beyond me.

'She's been at it for ages, if it continues I wouldn't be surprised if she digs herself straight down into the ground with all the pacing she's doing' Octavia answered in an over exaggerated whisper, knowing full well how infuriating it was. I shot them both a dark glare and my mom took a step towards me, blocking my path and forcing me to stop my furious pacing.

'Clarke, what's wrong?' she asked, Octavia choosing that moment to jump up from the bed and answer for me.

'The Commander has been missing for most of the day, we think she must have left some time early this morning whilst it was still dark. Clarke has been on a warpath around camp asking everyone and anyone if they saw her leave' she summarized before I could even open my mouth. My mom frowned at the explanation and looked back at me.

'Wait, this is about Lexa?' she asked disbelievingly, not sure she believed Octavia's explanation. I turned away from both of them in annoyance, neither of them willing to take me seriously.

'Okay so why are you so worried?' my mom eventually asked once she had gotten over the surprise, attempting to make up for her earlier response.

'Anything could've happened in the time she's been gone. She could've been attacked by a panther or even kidnapped by the ice nation' I stressed, turning back in time to see Octavia's eye roll at my reply.

'Or she's absolutely fine and you're worrying about nothing' she countered, not sharing my doubts that something awful might've happened. To my mom's credit she attempted to at least see where I was coming from and understand why I was worried.

'So you said that she's been gone since early morning whilst it was still dark, but how do you know she didn't leave whilst we were having our meal last night? There's a good chance she left then if no one has seen her since' Abby considered, but I immediately dismissed the idea with a shake of my head.

'No there isn't, because I was with her last night' I said without thinking, closing my eyes briefly as a silence settled throughout the tent. Octavia, not understanding the cause of the sudden halt in conversation, glanced questioningly between the two of us and waited for one of us to speak.

'Wait, you were what? I thought you said you went on a walk last night?' Abby recalled, brow furrowed as she tried to piece together where I had really been last night. It was obvious now that I had lied about being on a walk and knew it was going to be tricky, if impossible to talk my way out of this one.

There was no time for me to respond when cries of _Heda _reached our ears,  
my eyes locking with my mom's for only a split second before I was hurrying past her and out of the tent. Emerging outside, my gaze was instantly scouring the camp until I saw the Commander dismounting from her horse with two Grounders at her back.

Only when I saw her familiar braids and black war paint did I feel the knot of worry in my stomach ease to be replaced by a sense of relief. I wasted no time in crossing the short distance between us and saw Indra also doing the same, both of us coming to a stop before the commander.

'Lexa, are you okay?' I asked slightly breathlessly, quickly looking her up and down for any injuries but all seemed fine.

'Of course I'm okay Clarke, why wouldn't I be?' she replied, looking almost concerned about why I would ask such a question.

'Commander, I am glad that you have returned safely. The sky leader was becoming most intolerable' Indra growled in my direction, not even bringing herself to look at me. Lexa turned her gaze to me and I hurried to speak before she could question what Indra had meant.

'So where have you been for so long?' I asked quickly, moving the subject away from my recent behavior.

'I decided last night to visit another village close to here and see how they were coping with the appearance of the panthers' she explained, and I knew this meant that she must've left shortly after our conversation.

'Are they faring well?' Indra asked the commander, obviously knowing the village that she had spoken of. Lexa nodded slowly but her tight expression showed us that things weren't entirely perfect.

'They have been slightly more fortunate than us in that there have been less frequent attacks, though there are still many deaths that have been reported' she explained grimly. One of the generals asked to speak to Lexa before she could go into any further detail, and she excused herself to talk with him in private. I twisted and watched as she walked with him through camp, slightly disappointed that we hadn't spoken for longer. Lexa glanced over her shoulder as if feeling my gaze on her back, our eyes locking instantly as the distance grew between us.

The moment was interrupted when my mom approached and placed herself directly in front of me, breaking my eye contact with Lexa. I was suddenly very aware that she had probably just seen me staring after the commander and made an effort to mask my expression.

'I'm sure you're feeling better now that you know the commander is back safely' she said, watching me closely in a way that put me on edge.

'Much better' I agreed, trying not to shift nervously under the steady gaze. 'The alliance would be nonexistent if anything happened to the commander, everything we have been building between our camps would fall apart if anything happened to either of us.'

Abby raised an eyebrow at my reasoning, regarding me with an unreadable expression.

'So where were you really last night? On a walk or with Lexa?' she asked, making me instantly nervous as we both knew exactly where I had been.

'Does it really matter where I was?' I replied defensively, glancing around for any excuse to escape this interrogation.

'I suppose not, but are you sure you can trust the Grounders?' she went on 'It's one thing to be in an alliance with them but are you sure it's wise to trust them entirely?'

'I do trust them and you should too' I told her firmly, knowing that this was just another attempt to put doubt in my mind to make me return back to camp Jaha. My mom looked ready to continue the conversation but I quickly backed away and smiled apologetically at her.

'I have to go and do some training before the light fades but I'll talk to you later' I said quickly before turning away from where she stood and disappeared into the trees, knowing that she wouldn't follow.

The training ground was almost empty when I got there, most Grounders were back at camp or out on patrol. Of course training hadn't been planned but it had seemed the only way to get my mom off my back. Even so, there had been little opportunity for me to train for the past few weeks so I thought it best that I get back into a routine as soon as possible.

I strode across the wide space to a quiet area off to the side, away from where a number of Grounders were training their seconds. Taking no notice of them, I grasped the sword hilt at my back and drew the blade in one swift movement. I swung it through the air a few times, running through a couple of basic sequences at first to warm up. The sword felt comfortable in my grip, my movements feeling slightly disjointed but becoming more fluid as I continued. I vaguely noticed the other Grounders leaving the clearing after some time, though I was concentrating so hard I barely registered it.

'You're far too tense, you ought to relax more' a voice instructed, causing me to spin around and face Lexa who was watching only a few meters away. How she had gotten so close without me hearing I didn't know and scowled at her in annoyance, lowering the blade that had been pointed in her direction.

'You shouldn't sneak up on people when they have a sword in their hand' I told her, rolling my shoulders to release the tension that had built up there.

'What brings you out here anyway? Are we meant to be attending a meeting this evening?' I asked, wracking by brain to remember if I had forgotten about any scheduled discussions.

'No, nothing like that' she assured me, 'a guard informed me where you were and I came to see how you were getting on.'

Though her explanation was extremely plausible, I got the impression that it was only half a truth. I was sure she was interested to see my improvements though I suspected she had mostly come here to check that I was okay. I had left quite hurriedly in an attempt to get away from Abby as soon as I could, slipping away to the solitude of the training ground without a word to anyone which would have hardly gone unnoticed by the commander.

'I just came here to clear my head, having my mom back at camp is not great' I told her after a light sigh, turning away from her searching gaze. After a moment she moved away from the treeline and into the clearing until she was directly in front of me.

She didn't press me further for an explanation, completely understanding what I meant. I'm sure by now she was also getting tired of my moms constant need to observe everything around her, especially the two of us.

'It looks like your skills with the sword are improving, though there is always more work to be done.' she told me, tactfully moving the conversation away from my hasty departure from camp and the situation with my mom.

'Why don't you show me how it's done' I pressed on, eager to have someone to test myself against, it was the best way to highlight any weaknesses and make improvements. Lexa considered my words for a moment but I could tell that she would rather we return to camp, it would be growing dark soon and it was safer to return whilst it was still light.

Lexa had brought two guards with her who were currently stood at opposite ends of the clearing, their eyes trained intently on the forest, hands resting lightly on their weapons, ready to defend their commander. Sensing that she was about to refuse I quickly spoke up, knowing only one way to ensure her agreement.

'Scared you'll lose?' I asked lightly, a teasing smile lifting my lips as I waited for her response.

'You have no chance of winning against me Clarke' she said with absolute certainty, though I was quick to note the slight change in her posture at the challenge.

'If you say so Commander, though I would completely understand your reluctance to face me. It's perfectly acceptable to back down, we can just return to camp' I said sincerely, knowing that I had succeeded when Lexa tensed noticeably.

'I am not unwilling to fight anyone, if it is a fight you want than it is a fight you shall get' she retorted, drawing her own sword as she speared me with a chilling gaze that was most certainly meant to fill her foes with fear.

There was no need for any more words as the two of us began to circle around the clearing, looking for any opportunity to strike. I was the first to advance, jabbing and slashing with my sword to test her defense which remained strong and impenetrable as she easily blocked my blows.

She then retaliated with a series of powerful strikes, so fast that I barely brought my sword up in time for each one. I danced a few steps back out of reach, my breathing more labored after being forced to such vigorous blocks. Lexa allowed me a moment to recover, her gaze never leaving me as I shook away my growing tiredness.

'You cannot defend forever Clarke' she told me, her eyes shining from the exhilaration of battle, a slight smile on her face that boasted her confidence.

'I wasn't planning to' I replied, not hesitating as I lunged forwards, driving my sword towards her with a burst of energy.

'Don't think about your movements so much Clarke, let yourself relax' she advised, her voice steady even as she continued to parry my attacks.

I grunted in response but did as she suggested, letting my instincts take over and was surprised to find it made a considerable improvement. We continued to spar for the next hour, alternating between who attacked and who defended to work on all possible moves and skills.

After some time my arm felt heavier and it became increasingly difficult to bring my sword up in defense though somehow I managed. Beginning to tire, I launched one final attack in hope of catching Lexa off guard though no such luck, she appeared to be just as fresh as when she had begun.

Her blade crashed against mine and they stayed locked together, I didn't have the strength to push back and Lexa knew that she had won. We had both known from the start that she would though she could barely contain the triumphant grin that spread across her face, turning into one of amusement when I glared darkly at her, envying her ability to wield the sword with such deadly precision.

'I believe it is about time we return to camp' she stated, pushing our blades apart and returning her sword to its place at her hip. The light had almost entirely disappeared but we could still make it back to camp with what little light remained.

'You did well Clarke' she told me with a smile before turning to make her way back through the trees. I sheathed my sword with a huge grin and followed close behind, her words making the ache in my body more tolerable.

We were soon back at camp and the blazing torches were a welcome sight. There were few Grounders remaining outside as we strode through the huts.

'So I hear you were worried for my safety earlier' Lexa said quietly, motioning for the guards to go on ahead. No doubt Indra had been more than happy to tell the commander all about that.

'Well, you were gone for such a long time and no one knew where you were. I just overreacted, I kept thinking that something awful had happened but I should've listened when everyone said that you were fine' I responded, slightly embarrassed by just how worried I had been earlier.

'No Clarke, I understand why you were worried and I should've let somebody know where I was going' she said. I was slightly surprised by her response, having expected her to brush off my worries just like everyone else had.

'If it were you missing, then I would be just as worried' Lexa clarified as we came to a stop outside my tent. My lips lifted into a small smile and she held my gaze for a moment longer before bidding me goodnight and continuing on to her own tent.

I remained staring into the darkness long after she had disappeared from sight until tiredness eventually overwhelmed me. I finally headed inside, changing quickly before slipping into my fur bed and within seconds I was asleep, the ghost of a smile still lingering on my lips.

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	25. Chapter 25

The next morning, I was woken unexpectedly when the Commander burst in and began pacing the length of my tent, words already spilling from her mouth before I even had time to register what was happening.

After being pulled out of my peaceful sleep, needless to say I was feeling slightly out of it and could hardly understand a word that she was saying. I cracked my eyes open and glanced at her in a sleepy haze before letting my head fall back on the pillow with a sigh, attempting to tune into what she was saying.

It was only then that the flow of words came to a stop and I realized that this was where I was supposed to reply. I wracked my brain to pick up on a single thing that she had just been going on about but I came up blank and had very few options left on how to respond.

'What?' I asked after a second, my voice rough from sleep and far lower in tone than usual. Lexa's pacing faltered and she glanced over momentarily as if seeing me for the first time, taking in my barely functional state.

'You should be thankful I am not an enemy Clarke, it would be unwise for you to allow one to catch you unaware' she advised coolly and though she had a point, we both knew that if it had been an enemy than I would be far from defenseless. My gun would've been aimed in an instant and my sword was within reach if needed.

'As I was saying...' she continued, looking away from me to resume her pacing, 'your mother asked me to go to dinner.'

'What?' I mumbled in confusion, not sure if I had misheard or if this was all a dream. Lexa sighed and shot me an exasperated look, not impressed with my inability to form a coherent sentence. Well what did she expect, it was way to early to be having this conversation.

'Your mother just approached me and asked if we would like to join her at camp Jaha for a meal after searching the mountain tomorrow' she explained in more detail, speaking more slowly for my benefit.

'And what did you say?' I replied, trying to focus on what she was saying.

'I was about to decline when Indra mentioned something to me about Skaikru traditions and that I should accept' she told me with a slight frown. I remained silent for a few moments as I tried to sort through my jumbled thoughts.

'So what are you doing in here' I mumbled, still unsure what this had to do with me. Lexa huffed in irritation at my lack of comprehension, not seemingly aware of just how early it was.

'You know more than me about what this means, would it be an insult to turn this offer down?' she asked, not wanting to cause offense without meaning to.

'So you haven't given her a reply yet?' I asked, wanting to get a picture of exactly what had happened before I gave any advice.

'I just said that didn't I?' She answered impatiently, growing more agitated with every passing second. 'I came straight here without a word.'

'So my mom asked you back to camp Jaha for a meal, Indra said something in Trigedasleng and then you turn and leave her standing in the middle of camp without a clue what's going on?' I clarified, not able to stop the laugh that escaped my lips.

Lexa looked over at me questioningly, not understanding what was so funny. 'Is there something amusing Clarke?'

'No nothing at all' I said with a smile, propping myself up onto my elbows to see her better. I could just imagine my mom's confusion right now, she probably thought that she had caused offence when Lexa had walked away.

'Besides, I don't have time for pointless visits to her camp just for a meal, I have far more important things to do' she huffed, abandoning her pacing to stand at the foot of my bed, arms crossed over her chest.

'You said it yourself, we're still waiting for the last two patrols to return and that won't be for another few days.' I reasoned calmly, not wanting to irritate the Commander further. 'And this would be a good thing for the alliance, showing that both camps are willing to make the effort.'

Lexa nodded at my logic, pausing for barely a second before her decision was made.

'Then I shall accept the offer' she said, deciding that there was no reason for her to refuse and there was nothing to lose by going.

She then glanced over at me as if realising that I was still in bed, and I figured that it was about time that I got up. My mom would be waiting for Lexa to return so it made sense to go and speak to her together.

I pulled back the fur cover that was draped over me and yawned loudly, stretching my entire body as I did.

'I'll come out and speak to her with you' I offered, slipping on a jacket over my top once I had pulled myself out of the bed. I went to leave the tent but Lexa placed a light hand on my arm to stop me.

'Clarke, you look like your still half asleep' she laughed, reaching out and straightening the jacket where it had been falling over one shoulder. She then carefully pushed some loose hair out of my face before stepping back slightly.

'There you go, that's better' she told me, looking slightly embarrassed, looking anywhere but at me. I gave her a large smile of thanks which only made her shift uncomfortably, and she nodded once before striding out of the tent to where my mom waited.

I followed close behind and soon enough saw where Abby was stood, tapping her foot impatiently with a concerned frown on her face. A small smile appeared when she saw me approaching with the commander, probably thankful that she wouldn't have to wait any longer.

'Is there are problem?' she asked almost anxiously when we stopped in front of her, still unsure why the Commander had left so suddenly.

'No problem' I replied, flashing her a wide smile which only confused her further. I suppressed a laugh at her expression, finding the whole situation far more amusing than I probably should. Just seeing the evident worry that she may have somehow offended the fearsome commander was just to good an opportunity to pass by.

After the endless questions and observations over the last few days it felt right to put her on edge for a change, even if I did feel bad about it later.

Lexa shot me a unimpressed look, knowing exactly what I was doing and it seemed that she had no intention of playing along, much to my disappointment.

'I accept your offer of the meal Chancellor and would be honored to attend' she said formally, trying to make up for her hasty departure earlier and I noted the satisfied look on Abby's face at the agreement.

'Wonderful, then I look forward to having you' she replied and with that over, Lexa gave me a quick nod before moving on to her other duties.

Abby's composure quickly fell away once she was gone and looked over to me in concern, moving to my side to speak quietly in my ear.

'She's not just accepting so that she can poison my food at the meal is she?' she whispered and I would've laughed if not for the genuine worry that she had for this happening.

'Mom, you have not done anything to offend the commander and have nothing to worry about, if anything she did not want to offend you' I told her truthfully, and though she didn't fully understand she nodded anyway and allowed herself to relax.

'Good, right then, I won't hold you up any longer' she said moving away before I had chance to ask why she had invited us back for a meal in the first place.

The rest of day passed quickly, and the next morning I was up before the sun had even risen, knowing that Lexa would want us to set off the second Abby's group arrived in camp.  
I spotted her emerging from Abby's tent, waiting for a few moments until she came to stand in front of me.

'Your mother told me that the group from camp Jaha was told to start their journey at first light if not earlier to give us plenty of time to search the mountain' she informed me.

I nodded in response and watched as the Grounders accompanying us began to file out of their huts and into the center of camp to wait the arrival of their allies.

'Some of your warriors seem to have doubts about this journey' I said quietly, having heard a few whispers through the camp regarding our destination.

'None of us will enjoy returning to the mountain where such horrors took place, but if you say that there may be medicine and other supplies of use to us then it would be foolish to waste this opportunity' she replied, having also noted the slight unrest throughout camp this morning.

Before anything more could be said, a Grounder that I recognized as one of Lexa's scouts approached us with a bowed head.

'The Sky People are close, they will be with us shortly' he reported slightly breathless, departing at a nod from his commander.

We weren't waiting long until the group from camp Jaha arrived and were greeted warmly by their chancellor. They mostly consisted of Ark guards though a few young adults wanting to see the world outside of the camp fence had also joined them, bringing their number up to ten in total.

Lexa allowed them a short rest before announcing that we were to start our journey, we wanted to reach the mountain in plenty of time to search it thoroughly.

Those from camp Jaha would be walking to the mountain and the rest of us would be going on horse back which would allow us to bring more supplies back from the mountain by packing them onto the horses.

We jumped up onto our horses and set off at a slow pace so as not to leave the others behind, Lexa and I leading the group out of camp.

The journey took a few hours in total including breaks to allow those walking a chance to rest. It would've been far more efficient if we swapped over who walked and who rode, but was not possible as many did not know how to ride and were reluctant to do so.

Even with the short breaks we made it to the mountain in good time and we dismounted from our horses at its base, leaving two of the Grounders to watch them whilst we went on ahead.

Those from the Ark were in good spirits, talking and laughing lightheartedly, anticipating what they would find in the ominous mountain.

The Grounders on the other hand were the polar opposite, they were noticeably uneasy and barely spoke a word other than the occasional grunt or comment.

Lexa and I were no different, after what happened here I couldn't understand how anyone could be laughing and joking. I could tell that Lexa was less then pleased by the behavior of the Arkers and silently willed them to act more respectfully.

The Ark guards went in front of us, the grounders following behind. I walked between the two groups, my gaze wandered over my surroundings, suppressing a shiver at the memories of blood shed that resurfaced.

Up ahead, two of the younger members from the Ark spoke excitedly to each other when they found an old sword lying abandoned on the ground, one of them bending down to pick it up.

It was most certainly a blade that had been lost during the battle, the warrior that wielded it most probably dead. The other boy searched the surrounding area, whooping excitedly when he also found a sword, before moving back to his friend.

They swung the blades clumsily and began having a mock battle, swinging the blades clumsily as they taunted each other with insults.

I couldn't believe how disrespectful they were being, many had lost their lives here and this was no place to be playing games. Turning slowly, I could see even from a distance the anger that was quickly filling Lexa, her expression one of dark fury.

She had every right to be angry at their actions but when she began to stride up the slope towards them I knew that it couldn't end well. I glanced desperately over my shoulder at Abby, silently pleading with her to sort out the two boys.

Hoping that she got the message I turned back and jogged a few steps to my left, putting myself straight in the path of the angry commander. No one else would dare try such a stunt but I trusted that I could get through to her.

As she went to charge past me, her eyes dark with fury, I snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her around to face me. This didn't go quite as planned when she ended up far closer to me than I had anticipated.

I pulled my arm back immediately, though Lexa hardly seemed to notice the contact. She was so consumed with rage that I was concerned that nothing I said would have any affect but the least I could do was try.

'Lexa, they don't mean any harm. It's not worth it' I told her firmly, not wanting to find out what the outcome would be if I allowed the commander to confront the boys. She had lost many warriors that dreadful day but the last thing the two camps needed was her unleashing her anger and causing unrest.

Her eyes flicked over to where they continued to play fight but I shifted and caught her attention once again.

'Look at me, you have every right to be angry but the chancellor will deal with them' I assured her. If Abby ever attempted to put one of Lexa's warriors in their place then it would not be tolerated, the same rule had to apply to the Grounders for the alliance to hold.

She nodded stiffly in agreement though anger still shimmered in her deep green eyes, reluctant to let it go and give in to my reasoning. Just as I thought that I had gotten through to her, I heard a wail as one of the boys mimed being stabbed by the other, clutching his chest dramatically before dropping to the floor with a laugh.

This ignited Lexa's anger to new heights and she went to move once again towards them. I was left with no other option than to step forwards and place myself directly in front of her.

I held my breath as her deadly gaze pierced into me, both of us knowing that she would have to get through me to unleash her rage on the boys. I heard my mom giving the idiots some harsh words about their actions behind me but blocked her out, my entire attention focused on Lexa.

'Let me pass Clarke' she demanded, barely restraining the rage that was building up inside her. Green eyes held a dangerous glint that warned of an uncontrollable anger.

'No' I said firmly, surprised by the strength in my voice. She took a step forwards until our faces were barely inches apart and I had to resist the urge to take a step back, feeling the anger that was seeping from her. She didn't speak for a few tense moments and I felt a pang of worry that I would be the one that she released her fury on.

'Clarke, are we ready to move ahead?' my mom called from behind me. I kept my attention on Lexa and didn't reply until she shut her eyes with a deep breath, her stance relaxing slightly when they reopened and gave me a slight nod.

'Clarke?' my mom called impatiently, and I finally turned to face her. She was watching the silent exchange carefully, wary of the commanders reaction.

'Let's keep moving' I called back, gesturing for everyone to continue up the mountain. I looked back one final time at Lexa and was glad to see that she looked far less murderous, my words having had their intended effect. The last thing any of us needed was the commander spearing one of the boys in an moment of uncontrollable fury.

After the slight incident we made good time and were soon making our way inside, the eerie darkness of the interior a sudden change from the bright sunshine. Abby wasted no time in calling out instructions to the guards, directing them in small groups to search the upper floors of the mountain. The Grounders were then sent down to search the bottom floors. I made a beeline for the medical labs and gathered as many supplies as I could, directing those around me to collect what I couldn't fit in my pack.

In the space of a few hours the entire mountain had been searched and we regrouped outside the mountain to sort through our findings. The medicine was split between both camps, and the rest of the supplies allocated to one of the camps by agreement of who would have the most use of them.

The bags were then packed onto the horses, whatever was left taken in the backpacks to be carried. This left the entire group walking as the horses were carrying their maximum load and could take no riders on the way back.

As agreed, we took off in a different direction to which we had arrived at the mountain, our destination now being camp Jaha for the meal that had been arranged. The distance this way was slightly longer than from TonDc, so we only arrived at the camp for late afternoon. Our large group filed inside the gates and were greeted by Kane who had been anticipating our return.

I motioned for three of the guards to begin unpacking the supplies, the grounders leading the rest of the horses off to the side.

It was still a bit too early to eat so we would be waiting a little while before the meal would be prepared. I detached from the main group to go in search of my friends and found Raven making her way out of the Ark. We were quickly joined by the others and I spent some time catching up with them.

Soon enough, there was meat cooking over the fire and after the long day of travelling to and fro, we were all eager to fill up our plates. I returned to where Lexa stood waiting with her people, having been drawn into a conversation with Kane which she clearly wanted to end.

I sidled up to them and politely asked Kane if he would give me and Lexa a moment of privacy to speak, and he bid us a good evening before excusing himself. Lexa blew out a small sigh and nodded to me in thanks, relieved to be free of his relentless speeches.

As we waited for the food to be ready, the two boys who had been part of the search group approached Lexa cautiously. They were obviously terrified of the fearsome warrior and I saw my mom watching them in the distance, having told them to make up for their earlier behavior at the mountain.

Lexa watched them approach without expression, keeping her features neutral as they stopped in front of us. They were quite clearly shaking and I was almost surprised when one of them gathered the courage to speak.

'Commander, we...understand that we acted without respect earlier..and..'

The boy was struggling to form the words under the commanders piercing gaze and his friend stepped forward slightly to take over.

'We apologize if we caused offense, and accept any consequences of our actions' he finished, his words flowing more freely than his friends, though the fear in his eyes was clear. Lexa watched them both silently for a few moments, before lifting her eyes to where Abby was watching the interaction closely.

'Your behavior was unacceptable today, many of my warriors died in battle at Mount Weather. Is that something for you to laugh and joke about?' she finally spoke, looking at each of them in turn. They quivered under her gaze but remained silent, knowing that the commander was not looking for a response.

'As for consequences...' she went on, the silence that followed almost unbearable as everyone waited with baited breath for her to continue.

'That is not for me to decide' she stated, her gaze flicking to where Abby stood a short distance away. 'Your chancellor will deal with you as she sees fit, though I expect you to be more mindful in the future.'

The boys nodded quickly in agreement even as they began to edge backwards, awaiting permission to leave.

'I accept your apology, and you may return to your meal' Lexa finished formally, watching as the two boys turned on their heel and scurried across the camp as fast as they possibly could. She then looked pointedly at Abby, who nodded in response before moving to see how the food was coming along.

'What was all that about?' I asked, not completely understanding the interaction between the commander and the chancellor.

'Abby had the boys ask me about consequences of their actions to see what my response would be. It would not be my place to give them any punishment and she was testing to see what I would do' she explained, less than pleased by the underhand technique but understanding why it had been done.

It seemed Lexa had passed the test and exceeded my mom's expectations, though I was slightly annoyed at her attempt to test the boundaries of the alliance.

The food was close to being ready now and just as I was looking forward to sating my hunger, a cry from the gate echoed through camp. It didn't look like we were going to be eating on time, I thought with a sigh.

The gate opened and a Grounder rode in on a horse, pulling sharply on the reins to bring the animal to a sharp stop. He then dismounted to properly address his commander.

'Heda, the last patrols have returned' he reported, and I felt a surge of excitement that was even greater than my hunger. A slight smile appeared on Lexa's face as she glanced over at me with a similar expression to the one I wore.

'What's happening? What's going on?' Abby questioned at my side, not understanding what had put us in such good spirits. Lexa strode back to her warriors, calling out orders as I turned to my mom with a smile.

'The final patrols have returned, we can now make a plan to deal with the panthers' I explained, we had been waiting a long time for the patrols to search the entire area and find out exactly where the panthers were coming from. These were the last two that had been sent out and we were eager to hear what they had to report.

Many had been killed in panther attacks over the last few weeks and now we could finally do something about it. Suddenly I didn't feel quite so hungry any more, my meal all but forgotten in the face of the news. It was time to act.

_**Leave a comment and tell me what you thought :)**_


	26. Chapter 26

We were all eager to return to TonDc, but first it had to be decided who would be making the trip. Only four of the horses had been unpacked with supplies so they were the only ones that could be ridden. After a quick discussion it was decided that Abby, Kane and Bellamy would be traveling back with us, each having to ride with a Grounder as they had little experience on horse back. We planned to travel as quickly as possible and that meant keeping up a fast pace which the Grounders were fully capable of. Abby left the rest of the council overseeing matters at camp, and Lexa assigned the remaining three Grounders to walk the other horses back to TonDc the next morning.

With everything arranged, Lexa paired up Abby, Bellamy and Kane each with a Grounder to ride with. They were pulled up onto the horses and allowed a moment to adjust to the animal. As Lexa strode over from where she had been giving the Grounders that were staying behind their orders, one of her warriors from atop a horse called down to her.

'Heda, there is only one remaining horse. Should we unpack another for the Skaikru leader?'

Lexa considered his words for a brief moment before shaking her head.

'No, that will not be necessary. Clarke will ride with me' she replied, leaping up onto her horse before looking back at me and reaching out a hand.

I hesitated a moment as I felt all eyes turn to me, waiting to see what my next move would be. Disregarding their collective gaze, I reached up and accepted the offered hand. Lexa swiftly pulled me up onto the horse to sit in front of her with such speed and strength that it left me breathless for a moment, as did the sudden proximity that I found myself in with the Commander. She reached around me with one arm to grip the reins firmly, turning her head to address the others.

'We ride for TonDc, maintain a fast pace and we may not need to stop for breaks' she called to her warriors who nodded their understanding.

I was vaguely aware of her words, but I was far more focused on how her gloved hand was placed on my waist. Her touch firm yet gentle as our group moved out of camp, filing in a single line through the gate. Taking a deep breath to calm my racing pulse, I took great care in keeping my body leant forwards just enough so that there was the smallest amount of space between us. It was hardly the comfiest position, but unable to stop thinking about the hand at my waist I hardly thought that the extra contact would be any better. Our horse was at the front of the group, the others close behind as the gate clanged to a shut at our departure. Lexa shifted slightly at my back and readjusted her grip on the reins.

'Clarke' she said softly, as if testing the way my name sounded on her lips, and I was tempted to stay quiet so that she would say my name once more.

'Mhmmm' I responded after a moment, not trusting my voice to betray the feelings thay were fluttering inside me.

'Relax' she insisted, unable to miss my tense posture. 'We may only be travelling at a walk now, but we will soon be at a canter and it makes it difficult for both of us to do that if you are so rigid.'

Her breath whispered over my neck as she spoke and I suppressed a shiver at the sensation. I knew that she was right, it would make it harder for her to guide the reins and I would struggle to find my balance. Never the less, I was still reluctant to do as she suggested. A few more seconds passed until I finally relented and, muscle by muscle, slowly began to release my rigid posture. It was a relief to finally be sitting comfortably and a small part of me enjoyed the contact that was required on this journey, an excuse like this rarely came along and I was already more optimistic about the return journey to TonDc. Lexa adjusted to the slight change and maneuvered with more ease now that she was not attempting to respect my wishes and keep the small distance between us that I had created. We remained quiet for the next few minutes as Lexa slowly increased our speed through a trot to a canter and finally a gallop when we got to a wider path.

It felt odd to be riding without having hold of the reins but I had complete trust in Lexa and was not nearly as worried as I would be if it were any other Grounder at my back. It was only when we made a sharp turn at a corner that I felt a moment of panic and, fearing thay I was about to lose my balance, my hand shot up to grab Lexa's at my waist. She tightened her grip in an instant, knowing that I wasn't going to fall from the horse but doing it as a reassurance for my sake. I appreciated the gesture and even when we were past the sharp turns my hand remained on Lexa's, neither of us attempting to move from the contact. I told myself that it was just to keep myself balanced though a part of me knew better.

Our speed increased and decreased in areas to adjust to the changing environment, and also to accommodate the horses need to recover after bursts of speed. We were making good time and did not stop for a single break the entire way.  
When we did arrive at TonDc, I felt a stab of dissapointment that the journey was over. Lexa lept down from the horse and turned back to reach up a hand. I accepted it without hesitation this time and dismounted on shaky legs after having been riding for such a long time.

'Thank you' I said meaningfully, maintaining my grip on her hand as she smiled in return, only breaking the contact when the others jumped down somewhat clumsily from their horses.

I turned to face them and hid a smile when I saw how pale Bellamy was after the trip, not that Abby or Kane had fared much better. None of them were used to travelling so fast with the jolting motion of the horse, and I probably would have been more affected if my attention hadn't been focused elsewhere. Lexa wasted no time in summoning her generals and leading us all into one of the larger huts in the camp before leaving to consult with the patrols that had was not gone for long and all heads turned towards her when she entered, taking her place at the head of the table. The rest of us were grouped around the large table in no paticular order, and I found myself opposite Lexa to the end of the table. We all watched expectantly as she placed two more small markers onto the map, showing where the latest panthers had been sighted.

'As you can see these two areas are where the last patrols encountered panthers, and now we have enough locations to have an idea where they are originating from' she addressed the gathering, everyone present listening intently to her words.

She nodded at Indra, who indicated to an area far south on the map.

'It is almost certain that this it the place and now that we have a destination, I shall lead a group of my warriors there to investigate the cause of the movement north' she stated, the Grounders nodding in agreement with the plan.

'We can supply guards to join this group, their weapons may prove useful' Abby suggested, wanting to contribute to the mission.

'That will not be necessary' Lexa responded, 'I do not know what we will find there, whether it be another clan attacking, or a more dangerous predator driving the panthers out of their habitat my warriors have been trained to fight their entire lives. No disrespect, but your guards may be more of a hindrance than a help.'

Abby frowned at the explanation, and I could tell that she wasn't completely ready to withdraw her help.

'Many of my people have been killed in these attacks' Lexa continued, also seeing Abby's expression. 'None of yours have even been injured, this is our fight. Jus drein, jus daun.'

A few of the warriors echoed her words and Abby remained silent as she considered.

'If that is your decision than we shall accept it' Kane spoke up, 'Just remember that we are in an alliance. Your fight is our fight, your enemy is also ours.'

Lexa nodded in thanks at his words, appreciating the support that was available from the Arkers.

'Now that it has been settled, I will leave with my selected warriors at dawn' she concluded, it was too dark now to start the long journey south.

'I will join the group to leave in the morning' I said in a moment of silence, in which Lexa was waiting for any further input.

'No you won't' my mom and Lexa said simultaneously, as if that were the end of it. I'd had a suspicion that I had not been included when Lexa had spoken of selecting warriors to accompany her south.

I switched my gaze between the two of them in disbelief, of course this would be the only thing that they actually agreed on. My mom was not going to budge on the matter, but I had to at least try to sway Lexa.

'It's useless for me to stay behind when I can actually be of some use by going with you' I directed at the commander, noting that her eyes dropped to the table and I felt a small spark of hope that she was reconsidering.

'The Commander has made her decision Clarke' Abby said sharply, narrowing her eyes at my efforts to change Lexa's mind.

'All of you leave, I must talk to Clarke in private' Lexa commanded, her voice quiet but her warriors complied immediately and began filing out of the tent, Bellamy and Kane following hesitantly behind until only Abby remained with us.

'Commander, I must urge you-'

'I told you to leave' Lexa reminded the chancellor firmly, leaving no room for discussion. Abby tightened her jaw in annoyance but turned on her heel and strode out without another word.

'You can't expect me to stay here whilst you all go south' I said once we were alone, getting straight to the point.

'You would be safe here Clarke, you could stay here or go back to camp Jaha with your mother if that us what you wish' she argued, and my mental list of reasons fell away at her words.

'How can I continue to send out these patrols and risk their lives if I am not willing to do the same?' I asked in a softer tone, slowly moving around the table towards her.

She let out a small sigh and turned to face me as I approached, her eyes lifting to mine from where they had been fixed on the table.

'I will not lose you Clarke' she said firmly. I felt an ache in my chest at her conflicted expression, wanting nothing more than to reach out and take the worry away but this was not the time.

'You won't, I can take care of myself and I can fight as well as anyone. You know as well I do that it's the right decision to make' I continued. After a short moment, she gave me a small nod of agreement and a smile lifted my lips.

'Don't make me regret it Clarke, and we still have your mother to contend with' she warned, not that she could do anything now that it was settled. It didn't mean that she was going to be pleased by the change of plan, far from it I suspected.

The second we emerged from the hut, my mom was striding towards us, pushing past the Grounders who had been preventing her from entering. She could tell within a moment, from the small smile on my face, what the commanders decision was and she was not pleased by this one bit.

'Are you serious?' my mom all but growled at Lexa, not even bringing herself to look at me as her anger built.

'The decision has been made Abby' Lexa responded, keeping her expression neutral and her words clipped in the face of the woman's anger.

'If you were even half as smart as you think you are commander, you would not let my daughter sway you so easily' she spat furiously, oblivious to how the surrounding warriors gripped their weapons at her words.

'If you, chancellor, were as smart as you are loud, then you would know not to insult me in such a manner in front of my warriors. It would be unfortunate if I allowed them to do as they pleased to the one who spoke with such disrespect to their commander' she retorted, my mom recoiling at the barely concealed threat.

'It must be nice having warriors who do your bidding without question. I actually have to earn the respect of my guards to get such a response' she snapped back, and I closed my eyes briefly, wishing that she knew when to keep quiet.

'I dont believe Clarke has the same problem' Lexa replied calmly, my mom's jaw tightening at the mention of her daughter. I kept my mouth shut, not wanting to get involved in this conflict.

Bellamy glanced over at me with a concerned expression but I avoided his gaze, the best thing we could do was wait for this to resolve. Any intervention would appear to be picking sides which would only escalate the situation.

'My warriors do my bidding because they know that I am leading them well, they are willing to die for me. Can you say the same of your guards?' the commander continued, her unanswered question hanging in the air as the tense silence grew.

'Enough of your clever words, it is time for us to be leaving now and don't even think about sending any of your warriors to accompany us' my mom finally said, deciding that it was best to leave the confrontation there.

'You know the way out of camp, don't let us keep you any longer' Lexa replied, clearly wanting the chancellor gone as soon as possible but it didn't look like she was quite finished.

'If anything happens to my daughter..' Abby warned, taking a small step towards the commander. 'It's on your shoulders.'

She then turned on her heel and strode away without another word, Kane mumbling apologies before following after her so that only Bellamy remained in front of us.

'Lexa, I know she said not to...' I didn't even have to finish my sentence before Lexa nodded in understanding. She glanced to her right and selected two of her warriors.

'You will follow them from a distance, do not allow them to come to any harm' she told them, the two of them bowing their heads before moving off in the direction that the chancellor had gone. I smiled in thanks at Lexa, even after the my mom's insulting words she would still do that for me.

'If Clarke's going, then I am to' Bellamy stated, raising his chin defiantly as if daring Lexa to argue with him.

'Fine, do as you please' Lexa replied indifferently, not caring either way if he joined us or not. He looked slightly surprised at the ease of acceptance after how much bother there had been over me joining the group.

'We leave at the first light, do not be late or we go without you' Lexa told him briskly, looking at me one last time before leaving with Indra to organize who would be joining us the next morning.

Tomorrow we would be leaving to get answers, and no matter how dangerous the situation, it was the right thing for me to go with them.

_**Leave a comment and tell me what you thought :)**_


	27. Chapter 27

The next morning I woke so early that it was barely light outside my tent and I wasn't surprised to find that I was the first one up. Pushing out of my tent, it was clear that I was the first to rise, not wanting to give Lexa any excuse to leave without me.

I unslung my pack from my shoulder and settled it onto the ground as I perched lightly on one of the wooden logs, waiting patiently for the others to arrive. I hadn't packed so much that I would be weighed down, but just the essentials in case of emergency. Mostly medical supplies and water so that if anything did occur than I knew that I was well equipped to deal with the situation.

As always, my gun rested in its holster at my hip and my sword was strapped firmly across my back. I felt more at ease taking both as we had no idea what we were about to find. I had opted for my less protective yet more manageable outfit of my usual jacket fitted with a shoulder guard. There was no guarantee that I would be needing my heavier protective armour and it was rather impractical for long journeys anyway.

It wasn't long until Indra emerged from her hut and greeted me with a scathing look before going to the commander's tent. I ignored her and twirled a small twig between my fingers as I waited for the rest of the group to gather.

Soon enough the other Grounders began to spill into the clearing and I shared a few respectful nods with them as we all prepared for the upcoming journey.

I noticed Bellamy jogging through the nearby huts towards us, relief showing on his face that he was not late. He came over and took a seat beside me, his breath slightly labored after his run but managing a friendly smile all the same.

'I thought you might all be gone for a moment' he confided, dropping his own pack onto the ground beside him. 'And I take the commander at her word that if I was not present then she wouldn't hesitate to leave without me.'

He wasn't wrong in his thinking, which was exactly why I had been up far before anyone else. After the trouble I had gone to getting on this group, it would be ill fated for them to all leave without me. I nodded in response to his words and raised my eyes to watch the Grounders surrounding us.

'She has chosen carefully' I told Bellamy, who remained silent as I assessed our group. 'The strongest have been split between accompanying us and staying behind in camp.'

Bellamy frowned at my words and looked over quizzically.

'What would be the point in that? Surely if we do encounter trouble then it would best to have only the strongest to destroy any threat?'

'Preparation' I replied simply, dropping the small twig to the ground before dusting my hands off. 'If the worst truly does happen, then the strongest Grounders have not all been wiped out at once. Thinking strategically of all possible outcomes. She didn't become commander of twelve clans without thinking ahead.'

Bellamy pondered my words for a minute, for the first time realizing just how badly this might go.

'I see you two are being as cheery as ever' a familiar voice spoke from behind us and we turned to see Lincoln stood arms crossed barely a metre away.

'Lincoln!' I exclaimed and jumped to my feet with a smile. I had not even considered that he would be making the journey with us but I was certainly glad that he was.

'No harm in expecting the worst' Bellamy retorted with a small smile. 'If the worst doesn't happen then we can all laugh about how worried we were.'

Lincoln was unimpressed by his words, shaking his head at the logic. His war paint had clearly only just been applied and he looked more fearsome than ever. I was suddenly very glad that he would be accompanying us, especially if we did run into any trouble. We would've spoken further if not for the sudden silence that fell throughout camp that signalled the appearance of a certain commander.

We turned to see her stride from her tent towards us with Indra at her side. My breath caught for a moment at the sight of her dressed for battle, dark war paint around her eyes and large sword at her hip gleaming in what little light there now was.

Lincoln may have appeared fearsome, but this was a whole new level that was beyond words.

I inhaled sharply when I finally remembered how to breathe again, trying to mask my response when I felt Bellamy's eyes on me. Lexa glanced around at the gathering of Grounders, mentally checking that everyone was in attendance. I thought that her eyes lingered on me for a moment longer than the others, but that was probably just wistful thinking. Around twelve Grounders made up the group, not including me and Bellamy and it looked like we were all present.

Octavia appeared silently beside us, ignoring our looks of surprise as she attempted to make sure her presence was largely unnoticed. Apparently there was another addition to our group, though she must have cleared it with Indra first, there was no way she would go behind the warriors back.

'Couldn't let you lot go wandering into danger without me' she whispered with a grin, Bellamy shaking his head knowingly before all of us turned our attention back to the Commander.

'Now that we are all ready, it is time that we set off. Stay alert for danger and remain focused at all times, we do not want to be caught unaware' she reminded us, not bothering to waste any time with a long speech.

After a few brief words to Indra, who would be remaining to take care of the village, she made her way past the Grounders closest to her and made a direct path to where I stood with Bellamy. Her gaze lingered on Octavia for a moment when she stopped before us, but said nothing of her presence.

'Clarke, I got word not an hour ago that Kane and the Chancellor arrived back at camp Jaha without incident' she told me, and I felt a surge of relief that they were okay, followed by a rush of gratitude that Lexa had done that for me. The way my mother had spoken to her yesterday was hardly any incentive to care for her safety.

'Thankyou' I said meaningfully, sharing a small smile with the commander before she nodded and continued on to where the others were waiting to depart.

Bellamy and I picked up our packs as Lexa led the way out of camp, bringing up the rear as TonDc fell away into the distance. It was only when we had travelled a fair distance did we pick up our pace and move closer to the front where Octavia and Lincoln were walking.

'You two tired already?' Octavia teased as we came up beside her, nudging her brother playfully who pushed her back with a grin.

Despite our smiles and light conversation, we were all keeping a close eye on our surroundings, wary of attack. We had left fairly early that morning and it was now coming up to midday, the camp was getting increasingly further behind us and the chances of being attacked by panthers was increasing by the hour.

'Don't worry, if we run into any trouble we're armed well enough to deal with it' Bellamy reassured us, sensing the tense atmosphere, his hand moving instinctively down to where the gun rested at his hip.

'You can't rely on your gun for everything' Lincoln replied as Octavia scoffed at her brothers words. Bellamy shot them both a dark look and I kept silent, hoping that would be the end to the conversation.

'You won't be saying that when it saves your life' Bellamy retorted with a flare of annoyance, having had a lot of criticism about how much faith he put in his weapon. I sighed as Octavia made a remark about how he would walk fearlessly into an army of reapers if he had his beloved gun in hand, shortly before being torn apart when it ran out of bullets.

'That's ridiculous and you know it. Just because I don't turn to your primitive ways of waving a piece of metal around' Bellamy said defensively, tension rising between the three of them as insults flew back and forth.

They were so busy arguing that they barely noticed when Lexa held her hand up to bring the group to a stop. Octavia and Lincoln stopped without hesitating, already glancing around to see what had prompted the unexpected halt.

Bellamy on the other hand continued to stalk forwards furiously, earning himself an icy glare from the commander as he moved past her, completely disregarding the unspoken order.

'Bellamy what are you doing?' I called out, watching as he turned back to face me and the disapproving gazes of the other Grounders.

'I am here because I choose to be, because I wanted to come' he began raising his voice to address the entire group. This was obviously intended to be one of his captivating speeches, though no one looked impressed by his outburst as he went on with his ramblings.

I let his words drift over my head as I glanced around to see why we had stopped, my gaze drifting over our surroundings before landing on the area behind Bellamy. My eyes widened as it dawned on me why we had stopped moving and why there was an unmistakable tension in the way Lexa held herself, her eyes fixed on exactly the same spot that I was looking at.

'Bellamy, get back here right now' I told him forcefully, ignoring the glare that he sent my way for interrupting his words. There was no time to waste worrying about his feelings.

'Have you not been listening to me Clarke? I don't take orders from you' he said defiantly, walking slowly backwards as if to emphasise his point. I couldn't believe his stupidity.

'Stop being so childish and do as she says' Lexa snapped at him, capturing his attention.

'Or what? I don't take orders from anyone here' he told her, raising his arms out for show. The Grounders shifted as their commander narrowed her eyes dangerously, not that it bothered Bellamy who was far more captivated by his own performance.

'Bellamy, listen to me, there's a-' I began only to be cut off mid-sentence, not having had time to finish my warning as he edged even further away.

'I'm not one of your mindless followers, and just because you have some delusion of being all powerful, I refuse to-' he didn't get chance to finish when a low growl of anger escaped the commanders lips and she threw herself forwards with incredible power, tearing across the ground with exceptional speed towards a rather surprised Bellamy.

A glimpse of panic flitted across his face a mere second before Lexa collided with him, sending them both crashing to the ground. Hard.

Lexa was on her feet in an instant, grabbing a rather stunned Bellamy by his jacket before proceeding to drag him across the ground back to where the rest of us waited, fury etched into her features.

She dumped him unceremoniously by my feet as she stalked past, ignoring the whines of protest that escaped his lips. After a few moments Bellamy scrambled somewhat awkwardly to his feet, eyes darting cautiously to the commander as if expecting a further attack.

'What the hell!?' Bellamy exclaimed breathlessly, brushing some of dirt from his jacket with a scowl. 'She just attacked me! You know what a truce is for, and you-'

'Bellamy, will you just shut up and listen!' I snapped loudly, thankfully bringing his complaints to a quick end. He looked over at me sharply but wisely kept quiet.

'Look over there and tell me what you see' I said in calmer tone, pointing to the area that Bellamy had been walking towards. After a small hesitation he looked to where I was indicating, his eyes roaming the landscape for a few moments before turning back to me in annoyance.

'Nothing, I don't see anything' he grumbled, still eyeing the commander warily from time to time, the frustration evident in his eyes.

'Precisely, and you would have remained not seeing anything as you hit the trip wire and those two logs would've come flying through the air towards you so fast that you wouldn't even have been aware of what was happening before you were brutally killed' I explained bluntly, trying to get it through to Bellamy just how close to death he had been.

He slowly turned to look at the landscape once again, but more closely this time and eventually saw the deadly stakes that had been beautifully camouflaged against a nearby tree, only visible when you knew what you were looking for.

His eyes widened in disbelief as he turned back to me, his eyes then moving to where the commander had her back to him.

'You saved my life' he concluded, swallowing his pride as she slowly pivoted to face him. The Grounders had set numerous traps around their territory and he had just unwittingly been about to stumble straight into one.

'Despite your pathetic outbursts and inability to follow orders I did save your life' she agreed, stepping forwards to stand before him.

'Though in the future I strongly suggest that you follow orders, because maybe next time I won't be so willing to prevent you from blundering into another death trap' she warned him darkly, letting a moment of silence pass as she pierced him with threatening look, ensuring that he understood. He paled slightly under the strength of her gaze and visibly relaxed when she turned away to address the rest of us.

'We have lingered here long enough, it is time to move on' she said briefly, not sparing Bellamy another glance as she led the way around the fatal trap to resume our planned route.

Bellamy slowed his pace to fall to the back of the group, most probably to nurse his wounded pride. I did the complete opposite and passed the few Grounders in front of me to where Lexa was walking a few metres ahead.

'What was all that about?' Lexa asked as I came up beside her, matching my pace to her long strides.

'A few words may have been exchanged about Bellamy's choice of weapon' I explained briefly, not needing to go into everything that had been said.

'He should learn to keep his emotions in check' she said tightly, clearly not pleased by Bellamys outburst. I was thankful that she was being so lenient, such outright disrespect was not usually tolerated so lightly.

We continued further south for the rest of the afternoon, only stopping every few hours for quick breaks. We made good time, and as the sun was beginning to set Lexa stopped us to set up camp for the night.

Three Grounders were selected for the first watch and would rotate every few hours. After my persistent remarks about wanting to take a turn, Lexa gave me the fourth watch later that night.

Once those arrangements were made, those of us not on watch settled down to eat. We all had dry strips of meat on us which we would last us most of the trip though hunting was always an option if needed. We were all tired and went to sleep almost as soon as we had finished our meal, needing to rest before our journey continued the next day.

No sooner had I closed my eyes, it felt as if mere seconds had passed before I felt a light hand on my arm, a voice softly calling my name. My eyes snapped open and I wrenched out of the grip to reach for my weapon, relaxing immediately when I saw Lexa's concerned face above me.

I let out a calming breath as the memory of my dream lingered at the back of my thoughts, just out of reach.

'It's your watch' she told me before retreating back to her spot by a nearby tree. I lay still for another moment to collect myself before rising to my feet to go and relieve the others.

I took position a fair distance from camp, remaining alert as I surveyed the darkness around me, silently prowling along the area that I had been assigned but there was nothing to see apart from the stillness of the night.

As the night went on, I thought back to my earlier dreams, none of which I believed to be pleasant. The struggle with remembering dreams was that the harder you attempted to recall them, the more they slipped away like grains of sand falling through your fingers.

The few hours passed fairly quickly and I hadn't realised my watch was up until Octavia appeared at my side and waved me back to the direction of camp. I considered staying on and covering her shift but that defied the point of rotations so I just wished her well and headed back for camp.

I was ready to sink back down in my earlier spot but as I quietly crept through the sleeping forms, I noticed Lexa sat precisely as I had left her, wide awake with her back against the tree. Suddenly I wasn't feeling quite so tired and made my way towards her. She glanced up when I settled myself opposite her, not protesting to the company.

'Couldn't sleep?' I asked softly, wary not to wake the others who needed their rest.

'I slept a bit earlier' she replied dismissively and I wondered if she ever slept, I certainly hadn't seen much evidence.

'You're sleep was not restful?' she asked lightly, giving me the opportunity to talk if I wanted.

'No, just bad dreams' I said with a sigh, still unable to recall the exact content, but remembered well the unease with which I had been filled.

'You did not appear peaceful when I woke you for the watch' she told me and I remembered the concern in her face as I had returned to reality. The unease had vanished in an instant in her presence, and it was reassuring that she had such an effect on me. I lifted my eyes to find her watching me closely, and was filled with an emotion that was far more powerful than my worry.

'I hardly remember what it was about' I admitted, straightening slightly as I gathered courage to say what had been on my mind for so long. 'There's something I've been wanting to talk to you about.'

Lexa raised an eyebrow and waited patiently for me to continue in my own time. I was trying to work the words through my head and vocalize them but before I could even release a single word a sharp whistle cut through the air.

Lexa and I jumped to attention immediately, recognizing the warning that had been agreed in case of danger. Those who were already awake nudged the sleeping forms closest to them until we were all stood cautiously awaiting whatever was to follow.

A deadly silence hung in the air for a second before everything exploded into action, black shapes hurling themselves fearlessly towards the warriors who met them with equal ferocity.

Lexa leapt straight into the chaos, hacking and slashing at the frenzied beasts. I assessed the situation for a second before moving to where only a few Grounders were struggling to subdue a panther, the addition of my weapon weighing the scales in our balance.

It soon fell from a combination of wounds and I whirled to find the next target, only to see Lexa plunge her sword into the closest beast which fell lifelessly to the ground.

My eyes moved to where the final panther was being herded back by three Grounders, a frenzied hunger in its eyes as it leapt away from their attack in an attempt to escape.

Rapid gunfire filled the air as Bellamy levelled his gun at the fleeing panther, taking it down almost immediately with far more bullets than was clearly necessary.

'Will you stop shooting idiot! You're going to draw every panther within a mile radius right here' Octavia snapped, eyeing her brother with distaste at his attempt to show off.

'You're all welcome, remember that the next time you want to make a comment about using guns. It took down that panther easily enough' he addressed us all with a smug grin, feeling extremely proud for having proved his point.

I could hardly believe he was being so arrogant, not even bothering to retaliate with a scathing remark. Lexa glanced over Bellamy's shoulder before looking back at him in complete disinterest, not exactly the reaction he had been going for.

'Oh yeah, and what about that one?' she asked calmly, watching as he whirled around with an expression of sheer panic to find a rather large panther prowling up behind him. He didn't waste a second before lifting his gun and pulling the trigger, only to result in a harsh clicking sound. He had run out of bullets.

The expression of panic turned to one of sheer terror and, without having time to reload, shrank away as the panther leapt forwards to take down its prey.

With a movement to quick to track, Lexa sent a dagger flying through the air with lightning speed, the panther letting out a strangled yowl as the blade buried itself deep into the beasts chest, sending it plummeting lifelessly to the ground at Bellamy's feet.

Lexa strode forwards without even glancing at Bellamy, who was still trying to work out what had just happened, bending to retrieve the dagger from where it was embedded in the panther.

With only the slightest resistance she pulled it free and turned to address the rest of us, taking no notice of Bellamy who was still in a state of shock.

'Dawn is almost upon us, seeing as we are all awake we should resume our journey' she told us, sheathing her dagger as the rest of us hurried to get our things together to leave. I levelled Bellamy with a pointed stare as he moved to retrieve his pack. This journey was long enough as it was, the last thing we needed was him causing unrest. I just hoped he got the message and made some improvements to his attitude, it was the least he could do after his recent performances.

**Finally here it is! This chapter and the next were originally meant to be one chapter but it was way to long so I split it up. Sorry for the long wait, leave a comment and tell me what you thought! :)**


	28. Chapter 28

Once again we set off, Octavia remaining near the back to serve Bellamy some words on his recent behaviour, though his tense posture and dismissive shrugs made it clear that he wasn't interested.

Deciding it was best to leave them to it, Lincoln was walking up front by me and Lexa. We were getting further south with each hour that passed and I was beginning to notice aspects of the forest that were slightly different regarding which plants were present.

We were delving further into panther territory now, and were all ready for more attacks which were certain to follow. I could only hope that at the end of this we finally learnt what was causing the panthers to move north and put a stop to it.

'What was it you wished to talk to me about earlier?' Lexa asked, jolting me out of my wandering thoughts. I felt a stir in my chest at how close I had come to revealing everything to Lexa only for the opportunity to be ruined.

'Oh that, it was nothing really' I replied dismissively, fully aware of Lincoln walking by my side and the other Grounders within earshot. This wasn't the time. Lexa nodded and thankfully made no more of it, everyone continuing in near silence as the hours passed.

That simple question left me wondering as we pushed further south, what would I have said precisely and how would it have been received? The whole thing left me feeling nervous and I attempted to turn my thoughts elsewhere.

'Did you see how thin the panthers were earlier?' I commented, remembering how prominently their ribs had protruded through their fur.

'I had noticed, it is unusual as there should be plenty of food for them in this area' Lexa replied, neither of us yet having an explanation for their state.

As I was pondering the possibilities, my senses jumped to high alert and my hand shot up in warning, the entire group coming to a stop at my back. Lexa glanced at me questioningly but said nothing, her gaze scanning our surroundings as I listened intently.

A few moments passed without any danger presenting itself and soon enough light footsteps came up behind me as Octavia and Bellamy approached.

'Clarke I don't think there's anything-' Bellamy began, only for the sharp crack of twigs to interrupt, all of us spinning to locate the culprit.

There was a collective feeling of relief when we saw that it was merely a wild boar that had strayed to close, eyeing us warily before scampering away in fear.

A single nod from the commander and the group were moving once more, though I lingered behind them and surveyed our surroundings once again. The feeling of unease had still not left and I had learnt to listen to my instincts, they were rarely misguided.

Noticing my absence, Bellamy turned to me and began to question what I was doing, only for his face to turn into one of surprise quickly followed by panic.

He unholstered his gun and called my name sharply in warning, and as the others turned to see what the commotion was about, I was acutely aware of the barely audible snap of branches behind me accompanied by a low snarl.

Everything seemed to switch to slow motion. I was aware of Bellamy desperately attempting to aim his gun, the others starting to move back and aid me but were too far away to be of any help.

With little time on my side I reached back for my sword and twisted to face the oncoming threat, simultaneously hearing the deafening bang that resulted from Bellamy pulling the trigger of his gun.

This was swiftly followed by a searing pain in my lower back and side which snapped everything back to reality, my arm instinctively leaving the weapon on my back to cradle my new injury.

A snarl erupted from Lexa's lips equally, if not more furious than that of the panthers as the bullet missed the beast completely and became embedded in a nearby tree.

My vision swam sickeningly as the panther recovered from the sudden explosive sound and prepared to resume its attack. I was aware of Lexa quickly moving to close the distance between us and I felt the air rush by my face as her dagger flew through the air with deadly accuracy and struck the panther straight from the shoulder and down its side.

Despite not lodging into the panther, the dagger had the intended effect of momentarily driving the panther back from its brutal attack as it yowled in pain from its own injuries.

That was all the time Lexa needed to move swiftly past me and with a furious lunge, sent her own blade slicing straight into the panther's chest, killing it almost instantly.

I fell to one knee as waves of nausea passed through me, feeling the blood seeping from the newly inflicted wound as I kept a hand tightly over my side. Octavia rushed over and knelt beside me, words rushing out of her mouth that I was unable to make sense of. Lexa soon followed and knelt before me, her concerned tone asking how serious my injuries were.

I was quick to shake my head and reassure her there was nothing to be worried about, watching as if in a dream as she nodded, her gentle gaze hardening as she looked up at Bellamy. Apologies tumbled from his mouth as he attempted to come closer, only for Lexa to cross the short distance between them and push him forcefully in the chest, sending him stumbling back from the immense strength.

'You do not get to go near her' Lexa growled, her eyes shining with a rage so powerful it seemed to burn like fire.

More mumbled apologies followed before he attempted to move forwards once again, the Commander proceeding to take him by the shoulders and push him against a nearby tree with such force that the entire thing shook from the impact.

'I said you do not get to go near her' she repeatedly darkly, not loosening her crushing grip on his shoulders. Ignoring the events behind them, Octavia and Lincoln each took an arm and hauled me to my feet, wanting to take me to one side and assess my injuries.

'But...I...I was aiming for the panther...' Bellamy began slowly, his face pale with shock. This only brought forth another growl of fury from Lexa who I had never seen so angry before.

'Yet you didn't hit the panther, you hit Clarke' she hissed, her hands further tightening as fury built within her.

'I had a clear shot' he whined pathetically, now squirming under the Commanders grip but unable to break free. 'Then she turned just as I was pulling the trigger and-'

'So you're saying that this is all Clarke's fault!? That it was her fault some brainless idiot shot her!' Lexa all but snarled in his face and I could see that this was not going in a pleasant direction.

Pulling myself out of Octavia and Lincolns grip, I stumbled forward a few steps and put an arm out to steady myself against the closest tree. 'Lexa...please.'

My words may have been quiet but I had no doubt that Lexa had heard and no more needed to be said for her to understand exactly what I was asking of her.

With a look of utter contempt, she released her iron grip on Bellamy and took a few steps back, still eyeing him with disgust.

'He does not come anywhere near Clarke' she ordered sharply, ensuring that everyone heard. A flash of irritation crossed Bellamy's face but he knew as well as anyone that he had no chance of getting even close now. Lexa turned to where I was propped up against a tree, her sharp gaze taking in how I clutched my side tightly.

'Clarke let me see' she insisted gently, Octavia and Lincoln moving back as she stopped in front of me, her intense rage momentarily pushed aside as she focused on my injury.

'It's fine, just a shallow surface wound' I told her through clenched teeth, knowing that it was nothing life threatening. It hurt like hell though, not that I was going to let Lexa know that but from her expression it seemed that she already knew.

'All the same, let me see' she repeated, her voice gentle yet insistent and I slowly lifted my hand away from my side, allowing her to carefully pull my jacket from my shoulders and lift the bottom of the blood stained shirt away from my skin.

I winced slightly as air hit the fresh wound, attempting to stay as still as possible for Lexa to assess the damage. From what I could see, my earlier diagnose had been correct. The wound was only a few centimetres deep and the bullet had sliced a path along my lower back and side due to position I had been in when the bullet had hit. It seemed to be bleeding a lot but that wasn't unexpected, it just made it look a lot worse than it really was.

'Honestly it's fine, I have all the equipment in my bag to stitch it up' I told her, having brought a variety of medical equipment in preparation for such a moment. I let my shirt drop with the intention of going to collect my pack, but Lexa was already moving past me to retrieve it.

She slung it over one shoulder as she returned to me, taking me by one arm and leaving me with little choice but to comply as she guided me through the forest. A short distance from the others I saw that our destination was a fallen tree trunk which I was carefully lowered onto, Lexa then going around the other side to crouch behind me.

I heard her open the pack and bring out the needle and thread that had been salvaged from the mountain as I lifted my shirt to allow her access to the wound, remaining silent as the pain had my jaw tightly clenched.

I would've been more than happy to stitch the gash myself, but due to the fact that it extended along my lower back I would've experienced some difficulty in maneuvering to the right angle. I had a feeling that even if I had been fully capable to do it without trouble, Lexa still would've insisted on helping.

I had no warning when she uncapped my container and proceeded to pour water over the wound, my hands gripping the wood beneath me tightly at the painful sensation as I fought the urge to arch my back away from the container and held still.

Reconsidering my silence, I decided that some discussion might take my mind away from the pain.

'I hope after all of this we actually get answers' I said quickly, wincing as Lexa began to stitch my wound, not a pleasant experience.

'We're close Clarke, it can't be much further until we discover what has been causing the panthers movement north' she replied reassuringly, shifting slightly to find a better angle to work with.

I really hoped so, after all this travelling and recurrent attacks it would be disappointing to go back to camp none the wiser. I wanted to put these panther attacks to a stop for good and if Lexa was right then we would soon find out how to do that.

'Don't be too mad at Bellamy' I said after a few moments of silence, aware that Lexa was concentrating but needing to distract myself nonetheless.

'Why shouldn't I be?' she replied, irritation clear in her tone. 'You had almost drawn your sword in defense before that fool interfered. You would've been fully capable of holding the beast back for a short time until we joined you to take it down.'

Her words were true and I completely agreed but it wasn't like he had intended to shoot me, it had been an accident. Not that Lexa was going to take that as an excuse, I could practically feel the anger radiating from her though her hand remained steady as she worked.

'You've saved his life more than once on this trip, why?' I asked, focusing intently on the ground at my feet as Lexa's stitching continued around my side. No matter how much he had rattled her cage, she had still prevented him from blundering into the Grounder trap and then killed the Panther that had attacked him shortly after.

'You wouldn't have been shot if I'd just left that branwoda to his own stupidity, he was a fool to think he was exempt from orders' she growled in response, though I sensed that she was avoiding a straight answer.

'Regardless, you saved his life multiple times when you had no reason to after his defiance' I went on, noticing how she had carefully edged around the question. I waited for the standard reply that the alliance would've broken and we would've been thrown into war but that was not the response that I received.

'Because I couldn't stand by and watch as you lost another person that you care about, even if it meant saving that brainless idiot' she admitted, what was meant to be a sharp reply coming across with a certain softness that betrayed the harsh tone. Her words had me speechless for a moment and I barely felt as she finished the last of the stitching with a sharp tug to tie off the end.

'All done' she said softly, rising from where she had been crouched at my side to return the needle to my pack before moving in front of where I was sitting.

She reached out a hand to help me up as she had done many times before, but this time as I was pulled upright I didn't let go. Our hands remained interlocked as we watched each other silently; waiting to see if the other would pull away from the contact.

After a few long moments I gathered the courage to speak, but approaching footsteps interrupted whatever I had been about to say. Lexa and I moved swiftly apart, having been stood far closer than necessary, but the sudden jolt of movement sent pain slicing through me even as I turned to face the approaching company. I hissed out a sharp breath at the unexpected pain and held myself as still as possible until it subsided.

'Damn, I hate getting shot' I murmured, though this wasn't nearly as bad as when Raven had pulled the trigger and it had been life threatening. This injury was more of an inconvenience than anything. Octavia chuckled at my comment as she neared, though I glimpsed the concern on her face when she saw my blood soaked clothes.

I was aware of Lexa rooting around in my pack and she soon found the spare change of clothes that I'd brought along. Her and Octavia then proceeded to help me out of my blood stained clothes and into the fresh ones, careful not to knock the newly stitched wound in the process.

'Feeling better?' Octavia asked, taking a step back as Lexa straightened my jacket which had received minimal damage from the bullet and thankfully the majority of blood had washed off fairly easily.

'Yep, much better' I told her, pushing a small smile onto my face. Lexa arched an eyebrow from where she stood in front of me, staring me dead in the eye. There was no question that she knew I was lying, I could never hide it from her.

'No you're not, anything to help in your pack?' she questioned, already bending to rifle through it before I even began to answer.

'Nope' I said, even as she lifted the small, clear bottle from my bag which contained a number of circular pills.

'Oh really and what would these be?' she replied, shaking the bottle in question though we both knew exactly what they were.

'They're the painkillers that we brought back from mountain' Octavia pointed out, frowning as she wondered why I was so reluctant to use them.

'They're specifically for emergencies, and this isn't one' I explained, my point ruined when a twinge in my side caused me to wince which was no doubt noticed by everyone present. 'Besides, I can survive without them.'

'You can, but you won't' Lexa told me firmly, uncapping the bottle and tipping two of the pills into her hand. I knew arguing with her would be pointless so I bit back my refusal and took them from her with a sigh, swallowing them with what little was left of the water from my container.

No sooner had Lexa dropped the bottle of pills back into my pack, did the rest of the group come jogging through trees towards us. Turning to face them, Lexa was far from happy to see Bellamy with them, her expression filling with anger in an instant.

'What did I tell you about him?' she growled at the Grounders who had been ordered to keep him far away.

'Heda, we have far more urgent problems to address' Lincoln hurriedly answered, 'we have multiple panthers closing in on our location, the scouts spotted them a short distance from here.'

Lexa thought this over for a second as she decided what to do, having to make as quick decision before we were under attack.

'We can't risk a fight against multiple panthers, we have to find a way to avoid further conflict' she mused thoughtfully, her gaze slowly rising to the treetops above us. Octavia followed her gaze and understood instantly.

'A few of us can lead the panthers away whilst the rest of you get to safety' she offered, a few other Grounders volunteering to join her. It wasn't that we couldn't confront the panthers in conflict but it was possible that it would result in casualties which would further slow our progress or even end the mission entirely.

'What the hell? Are you insane? You're going to get yourself killed!' Bellamy explained to his sister, though no on paid his words any attention.

'Be safe O' Lincoln told her gently, 'I'll keep an eye on your brother.'

Octavia nodded before turning away with the three other grounders and running straight back towards where the panthers had been sighted.

'You two take the horses, the rest of you, up. Lincoln, stay with him' Lexa commanded, not even bringing herself to say Bellamy's name. At first I was slightly confused as to what was happening when the group dispersed in different directions. I watched with a frown as Lincoln took hold of Bellamy's shirt and proceeded to drag him up a nearby tree, his immense strength allowing them to climb quickly up through the branches.

Lexa shot me an apologetic glance before taking me by the arm and carefully leading me a short distance in the other direction, coming to a stop by one of the many trees surrounding us. I looked up at the many meters of branches above us and then back to a Lexa, repeating the movement as I realized what was being expected of me.

'Are you serious?' I asked, really hoping that I had gotten it all wrong and I wouldn't be about to haul myself up a giant tree.

'Unless you want to get eaten by a panther' Lexa replied bluntly, interlocking her fingers to give me a boost to the first branch. I sighed lightly at the prospect, climbing a tree wouldn't be appealing at the best of times, even less so when I had been shot not an hour ago.

Without further complaints I used the offered platform to push myself up to some of the lower branches, the tugging at my side and back making me very glad that I'd taken the pain killers earlier.

Once I was up far enough, Lexa easily leapt up to follow me, ascending twice as fast as I had. She stopped on a branch by my side, easily balancing on the narrow branches as I hung on for dear life.

'We're not up high enough yet Clarke, we have to keep going' she told me, pushing up ahead effortlessly with unrivaled power. I envied her ability to climb so well, wondering if one day I would be as good.

I paused for a moment longer to catch my breath before following at a more reserved pace, trying my hardest not to make any sharp movements which would pull my stitches.

After what seemed like an eternity of hauling myself up the seemingly endless trunk, I saw that Lexa had come to a stop above me, about three quarters of the way up the tree, crouching on one of the higher branches waiting for me to catch up.

She extended a hand as I got closer and I accepted gratefully, my strength dwindling at the exhausting effort of pulling myself higher and higher. With Lexa's help I was soon sharing the wider branch with her, not letting go of her hand as we both peered down through the display of branches below us to see a black shape prowling below.

A sharp noise in the distance caught its attention and with a flick of its tail the beast headed in the direction of the sound, most likely a ploy by Octavia to lead the creature away from us.

As I shifted to get a clearer view, the branch dipped beneath me and the world tipped alarming as I struggled to regain my precarious balance. It was only the tight grip on my hand that managed to keep me from falling, twisting me away from the sheer drop so that my back collided against the trunk behind me, causing a rush of air to escape my lips.

Lexa had skilfully maneuvered us so that I was propped against the tree, her gentle grip on my shoulder keeping me upright as her other arm was braced against the trunk. An exhilarated smile formed on my face at the close call and I let out a breathless chuckle, a similar smile forming on Lexa's face in response.

It was impossible to ignore how close we now were, the world around me fading into the background as a single urge overcame me. I was mesmerized by the light dancing over Lexa's face that filtered down through the branches above us, my gaze taking in every detail as she turned her face to look over her shoulder checking on the location of the panther.

As she turned back to face me I didn't even hesitate to move forwards, overcome by a single all-encompassing sensation that only intensified as my lips collided with hers. For a moment she didn't respond, shocked by the unexpected movement, but it was not long before she responded eagerly.

A shiver went down my spine as I savored the softness of her lips, my arm wrapping around her shoulder to pull her closer, wanting to close the distance between us. All the words that I had been planning to say for so long were all communicated through this one kiss, no speech was necessary to know that this was everything we wanted.

We only broke apart when the need to breathe brought the kiss to an end, neither of us moving as we devoured the closeness, not wanting the moment to end.

Lexa pulled back slightly to look at me, a smile on her face as she chuckled softly. 'Well that was unexpected.'

'Was it though?' I grinned in return, having a feeling that this had been coming for a while now. All those times I had wanted to tell Lexa exactly how I felt, this had been the perfect way to do it.

Before either of us could say anything more, a snarl sounded nearby and Lexa shifted to look around the tree we were positioned in to see Lincoln keeping a panther at bay. It had managed to climb up to the branch beneath him and Bellamy, jumping with outstretched claws in an attempt to snag a victim.

Without wasting a second Lexa carefully untangled herself from my grip and leapt between the branches of neighboring trees before launching a well-aimed dagger at the offending panther.

With the threat taken care of I turned away from the scene and relaxed back against the tree behind me, allowing my eyes to close as I was filled with a sense of fulfillment. No matter what happened from now on I was content to know that we had taken the first step, I could only wait to see how things played out from here.

**Leave a comment and let me know what you thought :)**


	29. Chapter 29

I jumped down from the lower branches of the trees, stumbling a little when I hit the uneven ground. Octavia came jogging through the trees behind me, the other Grounders following close behind, slightly breathless after their task.

'O, you okay?' Lincoln asked when he spotted her, moving over to sweep her up in a tight hug.

'Yeah I'm fine' she reassured him, pulling out of his grip as the Commander approached.

'We successfully led the panthers a fair distance away but there's no telling if they'll return, we should get moving as soon as possible' she reported, taking a swig of water from her bottle once her breathing had returned to normal. Bellamy was close behind Lincoln and moved towards his sister with a concerned expression.

'Are you sure you're okay? That was a risky move, it could've gotten you killed!' he exclaimed, frowning when Octavia pulled away from his concerned touch. She was fully capable of looking after herself and fully intended for her brother to realize this.

'I'm fine Bel, I know what I'm doing' she replied confidently, the doubt still visible in Bellamy's eyes but he said no more about it.

'We head off now before the panthers return' Lexa cut in, all of us eager to leave before another attack occurred. Our group was soon moving south once more, the Grounders that were leading the horses bringing up the rear.

Oddly enough I wasn't feeling the tiredness that had begun to set in earlier, my steps now light as my mind focused on one single thought. Even my growing hunger had been forgotten in place of a far more pleasant feeling.

My gaze was fixed on the Commander who was a short distance ahead of me as I walked beside Octavia. I savored the moments when the braided head would turn and she would glance over her shoulder as if checking on everyone's positions, though her eyes sought out only mine. Even just these brief moments left me slightly breathless, my lack of attention soon becoming noticeable to my friend when I narrowly avoided tripping over a protruding tree root.

'Woah, did you fall out of that tree back there or something?' Octavia teased lightly, wondering what had happened to my usually collected and alert self. Her words pulled my attention to where she walked beside me, my mind suddenly going blank at the question.

'Uh, well something like that...' I said in response, trailing off as I remembered precisely what had happened in the tree. With the rest of the group remaining in silence, our conversation carried to anyone within earshot and I saw a small smile form on Lexa's face at my evasive response, clearly having the same thought as me. Octavia shook her head at my reply but gave up her questions when I didn't elaborate further, far more wrapped up in my own thoughts to even try.

Within a few hours of setting off Lexa called us to a stop to have something to eat now that evening was closing in and we set up a small fire to cook the meat over. Nearby rocks were used as some seating, those left remaining crouched around the flames. I ended up perched on one of the rocks opposite Lexa, unsure if this was a good thing as I repeatedly told myself to stop staring and fixed my gaze on the ground instead.

The meat was soon cooked and I reached from my position to take a slice of meat from the fire but the tug from my stitches stopped me short. I immediately pulled back and was about to stand to try again but before I had a chance one of the meat strips was being held towards me, Lexa having seen my effort had jumped up to pass it to me.

'Thank you commander' I said with a smile, holding onto the piece of meat for a second longer than necessary, our gazes locking instantly and I almost laughed at her hasty retreat when the seconds passed by, the others momentarily forgotten. Thankfully they were to busy sating their own hunger to notice anything out of the ordinary and it was a small relief when Lincoln spoke up to break the silence.

'How much longer will we be travelling south Heda? he asked almost tentatively, though I noticed the other Grounders looked up to see what the response would be, clearly it was a thought on everyones mind. Lexa contemplated the question for a moment, we had been travelling for days now and there was still no sign of what was causing the panther's movement north.

'We keep going for as long as it takes' she replied after a moment, raising her voice slightly so as to address the entire group rather than just Lincoln. 'It cannot be long now until we find the answers we're in search of.'

A thoughtful silence met her reply and I hoped that she was right, after all of this time the last thing we wanted was to return without having ever discovered what was going on.

'We set out to find what has been driving the Panther's north and we continue south until we do' she told us, not satisfied to return to camp until we had achieved what we had set out to do.

'Won't our people get worried if we're gone much longer? They will be expecting us back soon' Bellamy quipped in, not that his opinion was welcomed at the time. He soon realized this when the Commander's weighty gaze settled solely on him.

'You're more than welcome to return to camp and put their minds at ease, you can find your own way back' she retorted calmly, knowing full well that travelling such a distance alone would not end favorably for him. Bellamy wisely said no more, remaining quiet as he finished off his meat.

No more objections were made and a few Grounders rose to stretch their legs, an empty space appearing between myself and Lexa, one that I was extremely tempted to close. Before I even had time to argue with myself over the prospect, a strangled cry sounded from a nearby Grounder and my head whipped around to see what was happening.

A large blade protruded through the chest of one of the Grounders, blood spilling from his mouth as the sword was pulled free and he fell to the ground revealing the identity of his attacker. A reaper stood with a sickening smile on his face, his blade dripping red with the blood of his most recent victim. We barely had a moment to register the surprise before he launched himself towards the closest Grounder, the rest of us soon leaping up to aid him.

The Reaper swung his blade with a wild fever, even when he received a slash to his chest there was no stopping the brutality of his attack, his sword slicing into the Grounder even as his own blood gushed from a fatal wound.

Before he could inflict any more damage, the sheer number of Grounders overwhelmed him and they pried the weapon from his grip, pushing him forcefully down onto the ground. He continued to struggle against the grip of his enemies as Lexa and I stood over him. I could hardly believe what I was seeing, all of us having assumed that the last of the Reapers had died out after the battle at Mount Weather.

'Lexa, he doesn't have long left' I told her quietly, seeing the blood pooling into the ground from the deep gash in his chest. Wasting no time, Lexa stepped forwards and knelt by the restrained Reaper. As she did so I went to where the injured Grounder had lowered himself to the floor, casting a glance over his injuries but he shook his head and gestured back to where the Reaper was being held, he would okay for the time being. Nevertheless, I ripped some of the material from his shirt and wrapped it as a temporary bandage around his wounds.

'How many more of you are there?' Lexa asked the reaper as I returned to her side, not reacting when he turned his wild gaze to her and let out a grating laugh, his eyes momentarily rolling back into his head. I shuddered at the sight, reapers had never been known to be sane but there was something about this one that I hadn't seen before. When he made no move to reply Lexa stood and didn't hesitate to push her boot against the wound on his chest and I couldn't help but wince when a screech of pain escaped from his lips.

'I can make this experience far more painful for you if you wish. Answer me, how many more of you are there?' she repeated, digging in her boot further until he was squirming in agony beneath her.

'Search him' she commanded when he continued to hold his silence, a Grounder proceeding to roughly search through the Reapers clothing. He pulled a scrap of paper free and held it out to the Commander for inspection. She took it and after a quick glance a cold expression spread over her face and she drove her boot into the Reapers chest once more, far harder this time as she demanded to know how many more there were. The Reaper spat blood from his mouth and gave us all a twisted grin, lifting his head with great effort to stare at each of us individually.

'More than you can count' he choked out, a growl of anger escaping Lexa's lips before she pulled her blade free and brought it down into his already wounded chest, the sickening grin remaining on his face even after his head slumped lifelessly back onto the ground.

'What's going on Lexa?' I questioned as she sheathed her sword, turning to face me with fury written all over her features. I retrieved the scrap of paper from her grip and looked down at it, frowning when I saw the scribbles that covered it, realization dawning when I saw the large circle that had been drawn around a small image labelled camp Jaha. The surrounding forest was clearly mapped and a few directional arrows had been placed from further south of our position.

'They're attacking camp Jaha' I said quietly, a nod from Lexa confirming my suspicions.

'That was just a scout, we have to get back and warn them' she told me, and I could only stare at the map in shock as Lexa turned away and began shouting orders. Only a few horses had been brought with us in case any messages needed to be carried back to camp, they were going to come in useful now. They were grazing a short distance back so we would be returning to them before splitting into two groups, those on horseback returning to TonDc to gather reinforcements, the others to travel on foot to camp Jaha in the hope of warning them of the attack.

Turning my attention to the wounded Grounder I hooked one arm around his and heaved the warrior to his feet, both of us grunting in pain as our injuries protested at the movement. Mine was only dull in comparison to what he must have been feeling, my wound having had longer to begin healing.

I supported as much of his weight as was possible considering the differences in build, though he clearly made the upmost effort to walk as independently as he could. It was tough going dragging the wounded Grounder through the forest but I set a fast pace, acutely aware that he was losing blood with each step we took. The others were not too far ahead of us and it was a relief when we finally arrived at where the horses had been left tied up loosely.

Without wasting a second those left on foot, Octavia, Bellamy, Lincoln and a few of the Grounders were ordered to head straight for camp Jaha in an attempt to arrive before the reapers. They set off immediately as I helped the wounded Grounder onto a horse the others mounting their own horses.

Once the Grounder was sat atop the horse and I had checked that the bandage was still in place I did not hesitate to head straight for Lexa's horse, grasping her hand to pull myself up onto the animal to sit in front of her. She kicked her heels as I settled down and we were moving a second later, the others falling in behind us as we pushed into a gallop back to camp.

'The Skaikru will be fine Clarke, the camp is well defended for such circumstances' Lexa reassured me, sensing my worry for the unsuspecting inhabitants in the camp.

'I just hope Octavia and the others arrive before the Reapers' I confided, not wanting to think about how much damage could be inflicted by the mass of Reapers that would descend upon the camp.

'They're travelling on foot, on horseback we can get our warriors there to counteract the attack' she said confidently, though I couldn't help but expect the worst. No more words needed to be shared as I lent back into her, the forest flying by us as we sped north, her grip tightening comfortingly as silence fell through our small group.

We had been travelling for a few days on foot but on horseback we had no intention of stopping for anything and even though the light was fading as the day drew to a close, we took the risk to ride on through the night not having time to waste setting up a camp. By the time we arrived back at TonDc it was late the next morning and we had not stopped once the entire way.

I slipped down from the exhausted horse and Lexa landed beside me not a second later, calling orders for the horses to be taken to rest and for others to be brought to replace them. The camp was soon filled with a tense energy as news spread and the warriors assembled but my focus was on the injured Grounder, if he didn't get treatment soon he would be in serious trouble.

He leapt down awkwardly from his horse but his leg gave way as he did, sending him crashing to the ground with a pained grunt. I moved over to help him up but he waved me away, levering himself up with his blade. Lexa strode past me to where the warriors were assembling, no doubt ready to set off at a moments notice, time was essential at this point. I grabbed Lexa's hand as she moved away, not caring who saw as she turned to face me.

'Be safe' I told her, wishing that I was able to accompany them to the battle but I had my own responsibilities here as a healer.

'And you' she responded with a small smile, squeezing my hand gently in return but then she was gone and I was left grasping empty air. After a short moment I turned away and knelt back down by the injured grounder, hearing the others swiftly depart behind me as the sound of hoof beats faded away until they were gone completely.

There was an almost eerie quiet in the camp now that the majority of warriors had left for camp Jaha, but I ignored the sensation as I gripped the Grounder tightly by the arm once more and led him in the direction of the healers hut. Blood was now seeping more freely from the wound that was tightly bound and I lowered the grounder down onto the bed of furs before retrieving my medical supplies from the table on the other side of the hut.

He was incredibly lucky that the gash had not been infected during our return journey, there would've been far less chance of survival if it had. The Grounder hissed in pain as I peeled the bandage back, revealing the gaping wound beneath though he was now to weak from blood loss to complain further.

I poured alcohol over his leg to disinfect the wound before proceeding to treat it. The wound on his arm was in a similar condition but it was not long until I had that cleaned and bandaged as well. The treatment had been rather painful for the Grounder who had only accepted the minimal amount of pain relief and he was now in a light slumber as he recovered from the ordeal.

Satisfied that he would make a full recovery I cleared up the collection of bottles and bandages before leaving the hut and returning to my own tent to wash the blood from my hands. Once the worst was gone I lifted my own shirt to see how my injury had fared, I gritted my teeth as the fabric pulled away from the stitching, blood having seeped into the surrounding bandage. Dropping the shirt I reached for the spare bandages I had brought with me and changed the dressing carefully, taking a painkiller to take the edge away.

Now that all injuries had been dealt with I could no longer ignore my worries about what was happening with the others. Would they reach camp Jaha in time? Would the reapers get there first? It was impossible not to dwell on the worst possible outcomes so with a sigh I left my tent and walked back to the healers hut to check on the Grounder to take my mind away from it all.

Entering the hut was a whole new nightmare. Blood. Everywhere. Pushing inside, my boots were soon slick with the red liquid, almost causing me to slip as I observed the horror in front of me. The Grounder who I had successfully treated not an hour ago was laid precisely as I had left him, the only difference being that his neck had not been slit ear to ear on my departure. Blood covered the interior of the hut, a deep gash along his chest still leaking with blood that seeped into the bed and pooled along the floor.

A shocked gasp escaped my lips and the figure stooped over the lifeless body was alerted to my presence, a twisted smile forming on its lips as it turned to face me. The Reaper was drenched in the blood of his victim, no remorse in his eyes as he made to advance on me with glinting blade in hand.

Frozen in horror for a fleeting moment, I lifted my gun on instinct and squeezed the trigger with shaking hands. Despite the inaccuracy of my shot, the close range sent the bullet piercing straight into his torso, three more following in quick succession. The Reaper dropped to his knees clutching his chest, a faint gurgle escaping his lips before falling lifelessly to the ground.

I stumbled back out of the hut, breathing deeply as I turned away from the lifeless remains. There was no time to process what had happened as my eyes darted around the empty area of camp, my guard raised instantly. That couldn't have been the only reaper.

Hearing movement from behind me I spun around, raising my gun in preparation only to stop short when a Grounder came jogging out from behind the huts, hands raised in the air when he saw the weapon.

'hod op!' the Grounder called out and I lowered the weapon as he approached, noticing his torn, blood spattered clothes.

'Reapers?' I questioned, hearing faint sounds of fighting in the distance, most likely from the far side of camp.

'There are only a few, they will not be a problem for long but they were searching your tent so I came to find you' he told me, gesturing in the distance to where my tent was located.

'We should leave now, if the Reapers are looking for you then this is the last place you should be' he warned me, eager to set off and get me out of danger.

'We can't just leave, the others might need our help' I reasoned, not willing to leave the few Grounders that remained to fend for themselves and get myself out of harm's way. If I had to make a choice then I wouldn't be going anywhere.

'If that is what you wish' the Grounder complied, inclining his head slightly as I moved in the direction of the fighting, we had to ensure that the camp was safe. We moved quietly between a few of the nearest huts, wary of what we might find around each corner.

No danger presented itself and we were about to move on further when a startled grunt sounded at my back and I turned to see the Grounder a few metres back, mouth opened to call in warning but blood merely spilled from his lips as the large blade protruding from his stomach was pulled free.

'No!' I cried, only making it a few steps as he twisted with the last of his energy and stabbed his own dagger into the flesh of his attacker. The Reaper growled and stumbled back a few steps before one of my bullets pierced his skull.

I dropped to my knees by the collapsed Grounder, his eyes hazy as the blood seeped freely from his body. He attempted to rise but merely fell back down with a choked groan. I pushed my hands against the wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding but it was futile, the blade had done far too much damage.

'It's okay, if I get you back to the hut I can sort this out' I told him, at least having to try and save his life. The Grounder shook his head weakly and placed his hand on top of where mine were pressed against his wound.

'Em ste odon. Beja, yu souda bants' he pleaded with me, wanting me to leave and stay out of danger. I shook my head, not intending on going anywhere now.

'Yu gonplei ste odon' I whispered quietly as the life left his eyes and his hands fell limp to the ground. Another death at the hands of the Reapers, who knew how many more there would be. The thought filled me with an unquenchable anger and I rose into a standing position, my eyes coming to a rest on a Reaper that was tearing through the huts towards me and I felt no fear.

I lifted my blade and faced the attack head on, letting my anger fuel my lunges and it wasn't long until the Reaper was hard pressed to keep my sword at bay. His defence didn't hold for long and I thrust it forwards into his chest, pulling it free to turn and take on the next sneering Reaper.

My anger may have pushed me to new strengths but it didn't make me invincible. The Reaper at my back knocked into me hard enough to send me crashing to the floor, my sword ripped from my grip as I fell. Without pausing to catch my breath, I twisted onto my back and pulled my gun from its holster, firing off shots until I was out of bullets, taking down two of the Reapers in a matter of seconds.

I threw my now empty gun to the ground and launched myself at the closest Reaper, landing heavy blows to his face in an attempt to drive him back. He growled angrily and wiped blood from his nose but I noticed he did not retaliate with a swipe of his sword. They weren't here to kill me so they wanted me alive, I could use that to my advantage.

One came up from behind me and wrapped his arms around me, lifting me from the ground in an attempt to end my raging attacks but I threw my head back sharply to collide with his face, the Reaper dropping me to grasp at his now broken nose. Before I could deliver any more damage the other Reaper threw a powerful punch at my chest which knocked me to the ground, my back slamming into the hard earth as the breath was forced from my lungs.

As I attempted to recover the vile creature was on top of me, his hands pressing mercilessly into my throat, cutting off my already limited oxygen. I writhed and bucked beneath the imposing figure, but was unable to release his crushing grip. My head now becoming fuzzy I would soon be unconscious and desperately grasped for anything to use against my attacker.

My hand clenched around a rock by my side and with what little strength I had left, brought it crashing into his head with tremendous effort. The blow to his temple stunned him enough that his grip loosened for the briefest of seconds but that was all I needed to twist out from beneath him, gasping for breath.

Without even giving him a moment to retaliate I brought the rock down onto his head a second time, his eyes rolling up into his head as he fell unconscious to the ground. My energy now dwindling, I could do nothing as a rough shove sent me falling to my knees once more, the Reaper with the bleeding nose leering as he stood before me, a sharp pain resonating through my face when his fist collided with my jaw. My head snapped to the side and my vision wavered for a moment but despite the pain I turned back to face him once more, spitting defiantly at his feet before attempting to rise once more.

Having none of it, the Reaper took me roughly by shoulders and pushed me back down, his foot driving into my stomach shortly after causing me to double over in agony. Through my watering vision I saw the outline of another Reaper approaching, a blunt object in hand. I barely felt it connect with my head before the world slipped away into darkness.

_**Leave a comment and tell me what you**____**thought**____**:)**_


	30. Chapter 30

My body swayed in time with the figure carrying me over their shoulders, my world tipping with every step they took. I squeezed my eyes shut as the motion sent my head spinning, unable to see anything in the near darkness that surrounded us.

My head throbbed from the blow I had been dealt from the Grounder earlier, not that I had any concept of how much time had passed since then. It was still dark so I could only assume that it had been at least a few hours.

My arms were tied behind my back and I could feel the rope tightly tied around my ankles making my chances of escaping very slim. I struggled to make sense of my swirling thoughts, the blow to my head having left me somewhat confused.

The movement beneath me stilled and without any warning the Reaper dropped me roughly to the ground, a quiet groan escaping my lips at the impact, my already aching body acquiring a new set of bruises.

I heard him move away and cracked my eyes open to see some horses tied up nearby, three Reapers gathered next to them. My captor shared a few words with them, gesturing in my direction a few times. None of them seemed overly worried about keeping an eye on me so I chose that time to test my restraints, not that I was rewarded for my efforts. The ropes remained tightly bound and didn't show any signs of coming loose.

Even as I desperately tried thinking of a way to get free or even just escape my captors, a soft crunching of boots alerted me to a presence behind me. I immediately stopped my futile battle with the restraints and remained still but it was far too late for that now. The Reaper pulled me roughly onto my back and glared down at me, aiming a sharp kick to my head which sent me into unconsciousness once more.

I dipped in and out of consciousness for some time, unable to decipher anything from the strip of cloth that had been placed over my eyes, for what purpose I did not know. I suppose it made any attempt to escape far more likely to fail if it ever came to that.

Clearly I was slung over the back of the horse from the jolting motion beneath me and the steady pounding of hooves that did nothing to ease the pain blossoming in my head from the recent assaults.

Time had no meaning as we continued on at a steady pace through the landscape, our speed never altering from what I could tell. Not only was my head causing me trouble but my entire body was beginning to protest at the odd position at which I was situated on the horse. Despite this I remained still in case any of the Reapers felt it necessary to knock me out once more. Any future plans to escape would be useless if I wasn't even conscious.

After what seemed like an eternity, I felt the motion below me come to a stop and at first thought I was merely imagining it or had lost all sensation in my body. This possibility was quickly proved wrong when I was dragged roughly from the back of the horse and left to fall the rest of the way to the ground, landing heavily when I was unable to catch myself due to the restraints.

The cloth was ripped away from my face in quick succession and I lay stunned on the ground for a moment, squeezing my eyes shut against the sharp light that pierced them. Only when the pain became more bearable did I risk opening them once more, lifting my face slightly from the ground to stare at the dusty shoes before me.

My first thought was that they were hardly practical for the terrain, looking more suited for fancy evenings than trekking through the forest. As my mind caught up with what I was seeing and tried to understand what was going on, I managed to scramble somewhat awkwardly to my knees and lifted my gaze to identify the owner of such shoes.

'Hello Clarke' a familiar voice spoke, the same untrustworthy smile that I remembered so clearly lifted his lips in a satisfied smirk. His eyes still retained the gleam of cruelty that was always present in his gaze, no mercy for those he felt did not deserve it. I had no time to take in any further details or even formulate a response when Cage lifted the gun in his hand and pulled the trigger without even the slightest pause.

I gasped slightly at the stinging sensation, unable to maintain my balance as the world began to distort around me and I sunk back down to the ground, struggling to keep my gaze on the dark figure that proceeded to crouch by me.

'How long I have waited for this moment Clarke' he sighed contentedly, as if talking to an old friend. His gaze moved away from me to the surrounding trees for a few moments, as if wanting to remember every detail for future recollection.

My body was beginning to feel almost weightless and I was having a harder time trying to remain alert as the figure continued to speak, his words washing over me in a stream of noise.

'You and me, we're going to have some fun. You hear that Clarke?' he told me, leaning in closer to ensure that I heard. More than anything I wanted to tell him exactly what I was going to do to him when I was free of these restraints, but no movement was possible at this point and I could only stare up into the face of my old enemy with undisguised hatred until I could no longer fight away the tide of darkness.

The next thing I was aware of was the sensation slowly returning to my body, the slightest tingling in my arms and legs progressing until I could finally move my limbs once more. Not that I could move very far due to the rather tight restraints that were keeping me firmly in place. I soon concluded that I was strapped to some kind of chair, my blurry vision eventually improving enough to identify my surroundings.

I was situated in the middle of the room, a flickering fluorescent light above me revealing the metal table top that stretched along the wall opposite me. Turning my head very slightly I saw a number of cabinets lining the other wall, a few low stools placed around the room. I was reminded of the labs on the Ark, though this was a far more scaled down version.

I closed my eyes once more as a wave of nausea passed through me from even that small movement. I heard the faint echo of approaching voices from what I assumed was a corridor outside, coming to an abrupt stop when they reached the door on the left wall.

A few tense moments passed and I willed them to pass by, my hopes dashed when the metal door opened and Cage entered with two guards following at his back, the door closing behind them as he stopped at the foot of the chair, a twisted smile on his face.

'Ah Clarke glad to see you're finally awake' he said, as if to make me feel bad for not gaining consciousness sooner. Even just his voice was enough to stir the nausea in me that had only previously settled. Everything about him filled me with disgust.

'I see the tranquillizer dart had the intended effect, you've been out for some time' he told me, casually picking up the weapon from the bench top to inspect it. 'This is has a far stronger dose than your people used on the Ark, though I suspect you had figured that out already.'

It was true that I had already come to that conclusion even with the cloudy fog that seemed to fill my mind. I just didn't understand why he was wasting time with this useless conversation when he could kill me at any point. Still recovering from the dose I was hardly able to move my lips to speak and resorted to channelling my hatred of the man in a burning glare instead.

'Just as pleasant as ever I see' he went on when I remained silent, turning on his heel to begin slowly pacing the length of the room. 'I have been deliberating for some time now what I might do when I have you within my grasp and there were so many possibilities.'

He smiled to himself at the prospect, letting the sentence hang heavy in the air as his pacing brought him around the back of my chair to where I could no longer see him.

'Killing you would be far too easy, after all the evil that you have done, you deserve to suffer' he told me, a hint of anger creeping into his tone for the first time since he had entered, and I sensed there was a lot more of that bubbling beneath his cool façade. If I was able I would've laughed at his words, how could he even begin to judge me after his actions. His speech was interrupted when a loud knock sounded on the door shortly before a guard entered with a nervous expression on his face.

'Sir, there have been some-'

'Enough! We will speak in private' Cage cut in sharply, circling back to the front of my chair as the guard made a hurried retreat. He lent forwards and took hold of my chin as I tilted my head away, forcing me to look straight at him.

'I'll be back soon, don't go anywhere' he said with a grin, fully enjoying having me as his prisoner. Disgust rose within me and I shot him a dark smile of my own, his expression instantly turning to one of confusion.

'Go float yourself' I hissed, not giving him an instant to react before bringing my head forwards sharply to collide with his. He stumbled back with a muted grunt, clutching his injured head in his hands as he waited for the pain to pass. Coming so close had been a rookie error, even if I was shackled to this chair.

A cold gleam settled in Cage's eyes as he lifted his gaze to mine, one hand remaining on his forehead as he waved one of the guards forward. I had anticipated nothing less, though it had been well worth it to cause him some pain.

The Guard came up beside the chair and, at a nod from Cage, lifted his arm and drove his elbow sharply into my stomach. My body jerked against the restraints, my eyes watering even as I remained silent, not wanting to give Cage the satisfaction of crying out. The Guard returned to his original position as Cage stood before me, an intense rage burning across his features as the silence stretched on.

'You will regret that' he told me darkly before stalking across the room and wrenching the door open, the two guards leaving closely behind him.

I let my eyes shut as the door closed, allowing only a single tear to escape as my body ached from the treatment it had received. Right now I had to be strong, even with my own predicament I was still filled with worry over what was happening at Camp Jaha. My only hope of escaping this place was to remain collected and strike the second Cage let his guard down, that was all I could think about.

Time had no meaning in that room, it drew on into eternity as I felt my body recover from the effects of the tranq gun, attempting to slip out from the shackles that bound my wrists and ankles once I had fully regained the use of my body. It was of no use, and I was left staring at the flickering light above me as thoughts circled throughout my head. Thinking was almost as painful as the injuries that my body had received and even when I drifted into an uneasy sleep, my dreams were haunted by the faces of those whose fates were still uncertain.

The door opened once more as I attempted to clear my mind of my latest nightmare, my eyes snapping to where Cage was entering along with two guards. One of them I recognized from his previous visit, the other I had not seen before. In his hand he held a bottle of water, my throat instantly craving the liquid more now that it was right before me. My thirst had been bothering me for some time now, though I had managed to put it to the back of my mind and focus on other things.

Cage waved to the guard who approached warily with the water, standing a fair distance away as he uncapped the bottle and tipped it towards me. After a small hesitation I accepted the drink, allowing the water to spill into my mouth. As much as I wanted to defy Cage, I knew that to survive this ordeal I would need to be at my best condition. The bottle was pulled back sooner than I had hoped but I was feeling far more refreshed.

'You should be thankful to get anything after that little stunt you pulled earlier' he told me, and I was fairly pleased to see the bruise that had formed on his forehead from my efforts.

'Let's skip the rambling Cage' I replied, sick of hearing him wittering on about nothing. 'What am I here for?'

'We both know why you're here Clarke, too many lives have been lost at your hands and I won't allow you to take any more.'

It was almost unbelievable that he could say such a thing after all the deaths that he was responsible for.

'We have all taken our share of lives' I replied, acutely aware of how many lives I had been responsible for. 'You took Grounders and turned them into reapers, you would've killed my friends to take their bone marrow, and you even sent a missile to wipe out TonDc. Hundreds have died and you are the one who needs to answer for their crimes.'

'Those deaths were necessary to survive, it pales in comparison to your death count. You were meant to be in TonDc when that missile hit and all of this suffering could've been ended. Just imagine how many people would still be alive today if you had died then' he said sharply, advancing further as anger rose in his voice. 'My people in the mountain were slaughtered when you and those Grounder scum marched on us at the battle. Women, men, even children. They are all dead because of you. My father would still be alive if not for you.'

He spat the last few sentences with unrestrained rage, his hands clenched into fists as he got more worked up. He pulled away and drew in a deep breath slowly releasing the fiery anger, his body relaxing slightly though the rage still glinted fiercely in his eyes.

'Well now you will pay, the deaths of all you know will be a consequence of your actions' he said once he was more collected, not that this was a surprise. I had soon realized that Cage had been behind everything from the panther's movement north to sending the reapers to attack the camp.

'They will not fall to the attack, the Grounders will have gotten there in time and your efforts will be for nothing' I replied, just as much to convince myself as it was for him.

'We both know that's never going to happen' Cage sneered in response, 'even if the Grounders did get there before the Reapers, I wouldn't be surprised if they stood by and did nothing. The Skaikru mean nothing to them, just an inconvenience now that the war is over.'

'No you're wrong, Lexa wouldn't do that' I growled angrily, having complete faith that they would do everything they could to aid their allies. Cage was trying to manipulate me, turn my mind against everyone that I cared for. I wouldn't let him.

'You hold the Commander in such high regard yet you obviously mean so little to her. You helped to defeat my people in the mountain, but I'm afraid your usefulness has run out' he said with utter conviction, but I continued to shake my head at his lies.

'Deny it all you like Clarke but we both know it's the truth' he said firmly, ignoring any protests that I may have made to his reasoning.

'You're deluded' I spat, pulling against my restraints as I spoke. 'You should have died in that mountain, but instead you fled like a weak, pathetic, coward.'

'You are very defiant for someone strapped to a chair, you ought to mind what you say' he told me threateningly, not taking well to being so openly insulted.

'Why don't you step a bit closer and tell me that?' I retorted, earning a dark glare at the mention of his injury. Enraged by my refusal to comply he stepped closer to my chair, keeping closer to the end where he was out of range. My stomach churned when he placed a hand just above my knee, trailing his fingers down my leg until he reached my calf where he pulled free the small knife that had been concealed there.

'I have tried being pleasant Clarke, but you make it very difficult' he said tightly, moving closer as he lifted the knife to rest by my head as if daring me to make a move.

'Cage Wallace doing his own dirty work, that would be a first' I hissed, not willing to be threatened into submission. Even as the words left my lips I felt the cold edge of the knife against my throat, a sharp sting from where it pierced the skin. I froze, remaining still so as not to cause any further damage.

'What was that? I didn't quite hear you' he whispered by my ear, a tense second passing as I waited for him to finish it but that moment never came when he pulled the knife back and returned to standing opposite the chair.

'You are not making smart decisions Clarke, it is I who holds the power here and I need you to understand that.'

He gestured to a guard as he wiped the blood from the knife onto a cloth, watching disinterestedly as one guard held me at gunpoint, the other undoing my shackles with noticeably shaking hands. I turned my head in his direction but he refused to look at me, freeing each limb in turn until I was free of the restraints before taking a step back.

Returning my gaze to the guard with the gun, I slowly pulled myself further upright and off of the chair. I had no idea what Cage was expecting to happen right now but this was the best opportunity I might have to escape.

The guard tipped the gun towards me, gesturing for me to back up as he rounded the chair towards me. I did as I was told, slowly taking steps backwards until there was nothing standing between us except the gun.

'Now shoot her' Cage commanded the guard, a jolt of horror shooting through me at his words. I had to react quickly. Without wasting another second I launched myself forwards and closed the distance between me and the guard to grab his weapon, twisting his arm in such a way that I was able to tear the gun from his grasp and gain the advantage.

Pressing the gun firmly against the guard's head I watched as Cage slowly lifted his hands and clapped slowly in response, almost as if mocking me.

'And there I was hoping that you would go down easily' he told me, a small smile creeping onto his face as he leant back against the counter.

'Let me walk out of here or I'll put a bullet straight through his head' I warned, keeping a tight grip on the guard as Cage mulled over my threat.

'Oh dear, that would be such a terrible loss' he said with forced sympathy, not bothered by the warning.

'It certainly wouldn't be a great loss when the next bullet takes you out' I retorted, hardly prepared for the large smile that spread across his face.

'Don't you worry, I have no intention of letting that shot find me' he replied calmly, falling quiet as he waited to see what my next move would be.

I pressed the gun harder against the guards head as I thought through my options, surely Cage had foreseen this happening from the beginning. His words had stirred up fresh doubt within me which had clearly been the intended effect and I knew that it was not the guard that I wanted to kill but the puppet master himself.

With no more time left to consider further action, I lifted the gun from the guards head and aimed it straight for Cage's, pulling the trigger without hesitation. To my horror I was greeted with a barely audible click, realization dawning on me that the entire thing had just been a mind game.

'Oh yes, and then there's the small detail that the gun was actually empty, my bad' he told me with a gleeful grin, pushing himself away from the bench with a quiet chuckle.

The guard that I had supposedly been holding at gunpoint used my moment of shock to drive me backwards into the nearby wall, the weapon falling from my grip as pain radiated throughout my body. The guard bent down to kick the empty weapon away from me as I slid to the ground, unable to remain standing as my legs gave way beneath me.

'You see Clarke, here you have no power and nothing you say will change that' Cage told me, nodding to the guard who brought forward cuffs that were bound tightly to my wrists and ankles once more. He then backed away as Cage brought up a stool before me and took a seat.

'I have thought of many ways to punish you but none of them seemed fitting' he told me, leaning his head back as he recalled all of his earlier thoughts. 'My favourite one was turning you into a Reaper, seeing as they're one of things you despise most. Imagine all the fun we could have.'

I could hardly believe how twisted he was and shifted slightly to find a more comfortable position, not that the cuffs made it easy.

'I think you'll find that you're the thing I despise most' I spat, flinching when he lent forwards and immediately hated myself for it. I could show no weakness.

'But then I had the brilliant idea to bring both you and Lexa here, imagine that' he continued, watching my reaction carefully.

'I could've gotten you to kill Lexa or her to kill you…not that she would've had any problem with that. How about if I had killed her in front of you, that might've been the better option' he mused thoughtfully, settling back in his chair again as I stared at him with unconcealed disgust.

'You're all talk Cage, doesn't seem like you have a plan at all' I replied, wishing he would just stop talking and get on with whatever it was he was going to do.

'Everyone you care for is dead, isn't that enough?' he asked, lacing his fingers together as he regarded me. 'But if it's death you want…'

He gestured to one of the guards to go and collect the knife before returning to stand at Cage's side. He seemed nervous, pale and unsteady in comparison to his fellow guard.

'I could get him to drive that knife straight into your heart, or maybe draw it out far more painfully. Is that what you want?'

I remained silent at his question, still watching the guard who paled further at the prospect. He clearly had not been a guard at the mountain or he would have no problem carrying out the request.

'Don't worry, I am not finished with you yet' Cage said when the silence stretched on, the guard looking extremely relieved at the news. Cage rose from the chair with exaggerated movements, turning slowly to head for the door.

'Now I believe I have some things to attend to regarding the death of a certain Grounder, I believe you know the one I am speaking of' he said lightly, my eyes widening instantly at the suggestion.

'No' I whispered, pulling against my restraints as he smiled darkly, pleased to have finally drawn a reaction from me.

'That is if she's not already dead' he concluded, giving me a sarcastic salute before leaving the room, his laugh heard echoing throughout the corridor.

'No' I repeated more forcefully, attempting to climb to my feet somewhat unsuccessfully. 'No, you leave her alone' I shouted, knowing that he could still hear me. The larger guard came to stand before me, a scowl on his face as I continued to shout.

'Shut your mouth' he grunted, swiftly backhanding me across the face to bring my cries to an abrupt stop. He then motioned to the other guard and led the way out, the door once again closing behind them.

I lay on the ground where I had fallen and felt a surge of despair at the predicament I was in. There was no way of knowing what had happened to my people at Camp Jaha but Cage's words were beginning to take effect, my mind struggling to decipher between what to believe.

The worst part would be getting out of here to find that Cage had succeeded in harming Lexa, she was what I had been hanging onto for the duration of my stay here. That she would be waiting for me when I escaped, that all of this was worth something. For now I closed my eyes and allowed my body a brief rest before attempting any more escape plans. If I was going to get out of here then I had to have hope that Lexa had pulled through and that the camp was safe, that I had something to fight for.


	31. Chapter 31

My light slumber was broken when I heard the sound of the door open, quickly pulling myself upright to sit against the wall, expecting Cage to have returned. I was relieved when it was only a guard who entered carrying a water bottle in his hand. He approached carefully and knelt before me, passing me the water bottle instead of holding it himself.

'Drink, quickly' he said, glancing over his shoulder nervously every now again as he waited for me to finish. I did as he asked and drained the entire bottle before handing it back to him, unsure if his kindness was another trick on behalf of Cage. Usually I would be supplied the minimal amount of water to keep me alive, never allowed to take it for myself.

'Thankyou' I said meaningfully, hoping to understand what was motivating this guard to be more lenient. He remained silent for a moment but did not move to leave, his gaze on the floor rather than looking at me.

'I'm sorry about this, no one deserves to be treated this way' he finally spoke, the sorrow evident in his voice surprising me for a moment. When I didn't reply immediately he rose to his feet in a hurry and left without a backwards glance, leaving me staring after him in bewilderment.

Once my initial surprise had faded away I was able to think more logically that this could be the key to my escape. A compassionate guard would be able to help me get free, first I just had to get him to talk.

What must have been a few hours later he returned once more, this time remaining at the door instead of approaching like he had previously.

'Hey, what-' I began, only to fall silent when panic flitted across his face and he raised a finger to his lips, glancing quickly at the door before slowly edging towards me.

'I'm just in here to check on you, I'll only be a few minutes' he whispered quietly, coming to stand nearer to where I was propped up.

'What's your name?' I asked softly after a moment, deciding that this would be the best way to start. The guard remained quiet for a moment and I thought he wasn't going to reply.

'My name's Michael' he eventually confided, finally taking his gaze away from the door to look at me. I smiled at him warmly and he returned it with a small one of his own, seeming to relax a bit more.

'I take it you haven't been a guard long' I said, leaving the question open ended to see what information I could gain.

'I was never meant to be a guard in the first place' he admitted, and I nodded at him to continue. 'I was a resident at Mount Weather, just any other citizen until I volunteered for the bone marrow transplant. I was one of the first to do it, to live a life on the ground was the dream. But after the attack, very few of us escaped and Cage promoted me to a guard along with the others.'

After the initial nerves he had begun talking quite freely, though I suppose he didn't find that he could have many conversations these days. His words died away and his face hardened, I could see him emotionally pulling away as he took a step back.

'You're the leader of the Skaikru, my people are dead because of what you did. I should never have spoken to you' he said, sounding angry at himself for having revealed so much information.

'No wait' I called softly as he backed away, my words falling on deaf ears as he left the room and pulled the door shut behind him. I pulled at my restraints in frustration and lent back against the wall, wishing that I had more freedom to move.

I was feeling more alert after having the water and decided it was about time I tried to get up and find a way out. My body was still aching all over but I ignored the stabs of pain as I manoeuvred into a kneeling position, using a nearby cabinet to pull myself somewhat unsteadily to my feet. I was unable to take any steps so had to hop and shuffle to cover any distance.

My first stop was checking the cabinets and bench tops for anything that I could use as a weapon, my search coming to a quick end when I found all of the drawers to be empty. As I was checking the final cabinet I heard the door unlock and swing open before I had a chance to return to my original position.

'What the hell do you think you're doing?' the guard questioned furiously, advancing with such speed that I momentarily forgot about the cuffs around my ankles and attempted to take a step away from the cabinet which only resulted in me losing my balance and falling into the path of the oncoming guard.

I saw a confused Michael appear at the doorway as the guard caught me by my shoulders, proceeding to heave me back to the far wall where he pinned me there with a hand around my throat.

'You don't move an inch from here unless you want Cage to strap you back to the chair again' he spat angrily in my face, his voice dripping with anger. I couldn't understand why he was so upset but right now I was more aware of the vice-like grip that he had around my throat making breathing rather difficult.

'Do you understand me?' he shouted, even as I inclined my head as much as possible in a desperate attempt to be released. The grip on my neck remained in place for a few moments more before he turned away in disgust, allowing me to drop to the ground clutching at my neck.

'You saw her attack me' the guard said as he stalked past Michael and out of the room, not registering the unmasked shock on his face. Once the larger guard had left, Michael hurried over and knelt in front of me as I attempted to get my breathing to return to normal. He reached out a hand as if to inspect my neck but dropped it when he saw me flinch in response to the movement.

'Sorry' I croaked, knowing that he had only been trying to help. I coughed sharply and winced at the pain in my throat, deciding that it was probably best not to talk too much.

'He had no reason to do that to you' he said tightly, falling into silence as he did some thinking. 'I can never forgive you for the part you played in the destruction at the mountain but this is not right, Cage has gone too far.'

I stared back at him silently as I waited for him to continue, thankful that at least he was decent enough to understand this.

'I will help you escape from here, though it won't be easy' he told me, frowning as he thought on what his next move would be. 'Leave it to me, I'll get you out when the time is right.'

I nodded my thanks, watching as he turned and followed after the other guard. I could hardly believe that this was actually going to happen, an escape was now possible and the hope that filled me was almost unbearable.

The next time the guard entered I was ready, my mind was focused on what we were about to do. This was very possibly the only chance I was going to have to get out of here, we had to do it right.

Michael had the usual bottle of water in his hands but as he knelt before me, he produced a pair of keys and was quick to unchain my hands. It was a relief to finally have the restrictive cuffs removed and I took the keys from him to do the same with the ones on my ankles.

As I fumbled with the keys, Michael stood and went over to the bench where he lay down the knife that he had smuggled in before returning to where I was releasing the final lock. Once free of all restraints, he offered a hand to help pull me to my feet where I wavered unsteadily for a moment.

'It's okay I'm good' I whispered, taking back my hand to stand unaided, feeling the pain in my body more acutely as I moved. Michael nodded and retrieved the knife from the bench, bringing it back to where I stood to hand it over.

'I cannot be seen helping you escape, I'll make up some story about the cuffs but you have to make it clear that I was your hostage' he said firmly, making sure I understood. I merely nodded in response, not wanting to make any more noise than necessary.

'There are three other guards in this bunker, you have to take me as a captive in case we are caught. We turn right outside this room and it takes you on a direct path to the exit, we don't stop for anything. If you-'

His words were cut off one of the guards came in through the door behind him, whatever words he had been saying trailing off when he saw that I was free. Michael turned to face him in a panic, the guard opening his mouth to call out when a well-aimed punch from Michael sent him staggering back, another following in quick succession to drop him unconscious to the floor.

'Plans change, let's just get you the hell out of here' he said as he turned back to face me, leading the way out of the room and into the corridor.

'Hey what the hell do you think you're doing' another guard called from the end of the corridor, alerting anyone else in the base to what was happening. Michael pushed me ahead of him and turned to face the approaching guard.

'Clarke run, don't look back' he called over his shoulder to me and with a final glance at the other guard I reluctantly did as he said, setting off in the opposite direction down the corridor.

I heard Michael speak a few hurried words to the guard but his voice was soon lost as I progressed further down the corridor, taking the right turn at the end only to collide with another guard who looked just as surprised to see me. I soon recognized him as the one who had choked me earlier and when he realized what had happened he was fast to raise a hand to strike me but I was even faster to bring the knife up and plunge it into his stomach.

His hand went to clutch at the wound, and with some effort I managed to push past him only for his hand to grasp my wrist and pull me back.

'You're not goi-'

Before he could finish his sentence I drove the knife forwards again, this time he fell to the ground and his grip disappeared allowing me to continue down the corridor.

I heard shouts further back where Cage's voice was clearly heard demanding to be let past. Not a few moments later I heard a gunshot echoing down the corridor and froze, turning back in horror.

The clumping of approaching boots sent me on my way once more, having no time to process what had just happened I had no choice but to make my way swiftly towards the ladder that I saw in the distance. I didn't bother to look over my shoulder as I tore down the corridor as fast as I could, ignoring the burning pain it caused.

I reached the ladder and desperately grasped at the bars, pulling myself up with shaking arms. I heard movement closing in and focused my efforts on getting up the ladder as fast as I could.

The hatch was soon looming above me and when it didn't open with a push I grasped desperately for the handle, feeling a surge of terror when I couldn't find it. My hand finally gripped the handle and with a sharp twist I manged to heave the hatch open.

A hand grabbed my ankle without warning, a sharp tug attempting to pull me away from freedom. My grip gave way due to the sudden weight pulling me down from below and I shot out an arm to prevent my descent, somehow managing to grip one of the higher ladder rungs.

The pain in my arm was almost unbearable as the insistent tugs at my ankle continued, my grip on the ladder the only thing keeping me from falling back into the bunker.

My other foot found a rung beneath me which further increased my stability and I glanced down to see Cage's enraged face staring back up at me.

'You do not get to leave here' he grunted, increasing the strength at which he pulled on my ankle. 'I will not let you esc-'

He let out a sharp cry when I allowed myself to drop a few rungs and drove my other foot into his face with as much power as I could muster.

The grip on my ankle quickly disappeared when my kick sent him falling down the rest of the ladder, crashing into the guard who stood below.

Wasting no more time, I resumed my climb up the ladder and managed to pull myself up and out of the hatch. Climbing to my feet it was a relief to see the sky above me once more and feel fresh air against my skin.

In the dimming evening light, I glanced around to find my bearings though nothing was recognizable. We seemed to be at the edge of an area of forest, the trees to my left thinning out to disappear entirely.

I turned right and pushed myself into the fastest run possible, fully aware that the guards wouldn't be far behind. After the injuries that my body had received I knew it wasn't the best idea to be running so soon but I had no choice if I was to truly escape this place.

The forced pace could not continue forever as I delved deeper into the forest, slowing until I was merely staggering on. Forcing myself to stop, I pressed my back against a nearby tree, hoping that I had managed to go far enough. My shaking legs were barely keeping me upright, my breathing laboured as I listened intently to my surroundings.

'You go that way, she can't have gone far' I heard Cage growl faintly in the distance as I pressed myself more firmly against the tree, hoping that in the dim light I would go unnoticed.

The sound of footsteps and breaking twigs soon alerted me to a guard growing steadily closer. Being from the mountain, they had no concept of stealth as they made their position known.

I pulled in a deep breath, knowing that as the guard advanced I would have no choice but to take him out. He would see me the second he got to this tree and would most likely shoot me on the spot.

Only when he was close enough did I leap out from behind the tree, the expression of surprise on the guard's face quickly morphing into agony when my knife pierced his abdomen, not even having time to lift his weapon as it fell uselessly from his grip.

I pulled my blade free as the guard fell to the ground, mumbling incoherently as he grasped at the gaping wound. I backed away from the bleeding guard and was startled when Cage came running through the trees towards me, his pace slowing when he saw the dying man on the ground. He raised his eyes to where I stood, our gazes locked and I knew that only one of us would be getting out of this alive.

Both of us noticed the unmanned gun lying where it had been dropped by the guard, clearly Cage had been in such a hurry to follow me that he had neglected to bring his own weapon. We lept into action, knowing that whoever got to the gun first would be walking away from this. Cage was slightly closer so had the advantage, not that I was going to let that deter me.

With the last of my effort I dived and effectively knocked Cage's grasping hands away from the gun, pulling the weapon towards me. Rising to my feet with the newly acquired weapon, I saw the flash of panic that crossed Cage's face as he knelt on the ground at my feet. He slowly raised his hands and looked up at me in contempt.

'You see Clarke, more deaths at your hand. The very thing I was trying to prevent. You leave a trail of corpses wherever you go' he told me, shaking his head in remorse though I wasn't fooled for a second by the act.

'You won't kill me Clarke, more blood on your hands that can be-'

His words stopped when I pulled the trigger, an expression of confusion crossing his face as he slowly looked down at the blood beginning to pool from his chest. I was done with hearing his voice.

He collapsed onto his back as the strength left his body, his eyes never leaving mine the entire time. I felt no satisfaction as I watched his convulsing body become motionless, just a sense of finality.

Turning away from the bloodied scene in front of me, I set off into the woods once more, stumbling through the trees as everything hit me at once. I still had the blood of the guards covering my hands so I stopped at the first stream I came across to wash it away. It was only a small flow of water, more of a trickle, but it was good enough to clean the blood away.

I soaked the knife in the water first before moving onto my hands, clouding the stream red by the time I was finished. The stains in my clothes had no chance of coming out so I didn't even bother trying to clean them.

Once I was sufficiently clean and had drunk my fill I sat back on my heels and stared into the water, unable to stop thinking about the events that had just unfolded. It had all happened so quickly I could hardly believe I had managed to escape.

Cage's death seemed to be the only good thing to have come from this, his was the only end that had been fully deserved. I thought of Michael and how he had given his life to ensure I escaped, it seemed that everyone I got involved with met the same fate.

I lifted my shirt after a moment to check on my old injury, wondering how it had fared after what I had endured. It felt like an age since our group had departed from camp to journey south and I wondered if I would ever see them again.

The thought sent a jolt of despair through me, for so long I had worked so hard to convince myself that everyone was fine but what if they weren't? If the Reapers truly had won the battle at camp Jaha than I had nothing to return to, it made all my efforts pointless.

I traced my finger across the path the bullet had torn through my side, remembering how Lexa had so carefully stitched it up. I bit my lip at the tender memory, feeling a wave of sadness at the thought. Despite my stay in captivity, the wound had managed to heal well and just needing some more time to close completely.

Shaking my head to clear the memories I pulled myself to my feet and continued on through the forest until the light faded away. My stomach was soon twisting with hunger and I searched for something to eat though none of the plants in this area were familiar to me. Michael had managed to sneak in some extra food to keep me going back in the bunker, but that felt like a long time ago now.

There was no time to hunt for any small mammals as the evening grew steadily on and so I made do with whatever berries I could salvage from the surrounding bushes. It was hardly a meal to satisfy my hunger entirely but it would be enough to keep me alive.

My body was soon shaking with the exertion after so much walking and when I could continue no more I slid down against one of the tree trunks, desperate to rest my aching body. Leaning my head back against the tree I knew that it would be best to make camp somewhere better, or even climb a tree for increased safety but at that moment I couldn't summon the effort to move.

Clutching the knife tight in my grip, I let my heavy eyes shut and fell into an uneasy sleep, my mind refusing to allow me to rest as I entered a different kind of nightmare all together.

_**Leave a comment and tell me what you thought :)**_


	32. Chapter 32

My dreams were plagued with the faces of those that I had left at camp, my mind refusing to allow me a peaceful rest. I tossed and turned in my position as time after time I saw those I cared about pointing at me with an accusatory glare, the word murderer falling silently from their lips. Upon waking I knew that this was merely an after effect of Cage's mind games, it still shook me badly though and I refused to return to sleep after some time. It was easier to hold onto reality if I was awake.

As the night finally drew to a close and light began to spill down through the leaves above me, I decided that it was time to make a move. Before heading out I stopped at the small stream nearby and drank my fill, not knowing when I would next come across water. My body was in far more pain this morning now that the adrenaline had worn off and each step sent fresh pain coursing through me.

Continuing my trek through the trees, my mind remained muddled from my previous dreams even as I tried hard to put them behind me. I kept imagining glances of my friends in the tree's calling my name softly in the wind, it became so unbearable that I broke into as fast a sprint as my body could manage, hoping to out run the demons that plagued my thoughts.

My feet soon began to drag along the ground from the effort, my foot becoming snared on a protruding root and I was sent tumbling down the side of a steep slope, only coming to a rest at the bottom when the ground levelled out once more. I grasped my side with a groan at where a rock had knocked against my healing wound, every part of my body radiating pain from the unforeseen descent.

Climbing somewhat unsteadily to my feet I was startled to see figures clad in black approaching through the tree's towards me. Unsure whether my mind was continuing to play tricks on me, I sunk into a defensive crouch and brandished my knife as they got ever closer. They communicated with each other in low almost in audible voices, advancing slowly as if hunting a wild animal. Shaking my head as my vision blurred, I struck out with my knife in warning to keep them at bay. When this seemed to have no effect I went to grab the gun from where it was tucked safely under my shirt, only for a cry to go up amongst the figures in front of me.

'Gun!' the closest one called out as he rushed forwards with what looked like some kind of pole. Before I could understand what was happening the man thrust the pole forwards and a jolt of electricity seared through my body, my hand falling away from my gun as I dropped to the ground with an agonised screech. The figure seemed panicked by my cries and, wanting nothing but to escape from the torturous pain, I attempted to rise and flee from my attackers. They mistook my movement for further retaliation and proceeded with a second shock. Another scream tore from my throat and I fell back to the ground, having no option but to give in to whatever fate these enemies had in store for me.

After what my body had already endured whilst in captivity, this assault was too much to bear and I felt the strength seeping from limbs. My vision darkening from the assault, I was confused when my attackers spun around and began to move away. Was that it, were they just leaving me here to die?

Barely aware of what was happening, I heard angry shouts filling the air accompanied by the flurry of hoof beats on the ground. Through blurry vision I saw multiple figures dismount, roughly pushing my attackers away as a solitary figure approached where I lay motionless on the ground. Terrified that this was another attack I used what little control over my body remained to try to back away from the imposing figure, only for strong hands to take hold of me and keep me firmly in place as they knelt before me.

I saw the braids and dark war paint but refused to believe it, squeezing my eyes shut to banish the vision that plagued me. In many dreams I had seen the same Grounder and had been filled with joy that I had made my way back, only for the figure to leave silently, disgust in their eyes after all that I had done. Despite my efforts to return to reality, opening my eyes once more I saw that the figure remained crouched in front of me and there was no denying the gentle grip on my arms. Maybe this was real after all. Did I dare to believe it?

I fought to keep my eyes open as I watched her mouth move, the words escaping her lips blending into meaningless noise no matter how hard I tried to decipher them. She called a few words over her shoulder and then without any warning I was weightless, lifted into the air as my body hung lifelessly in her arms. My vision darkened for a moment and the next thing I knew I was being manoeuvred onto the back of the closest horse, Lexa jumping up a second later to take her place at my back.

Slender arms snaked around me to grip the reigns, stirring up memories from what seemed like a lifetime ago, a soft kick to the horse's side sending us into motion. Unable to remain upright I had no choice but to lean back fully against the Commander, my head resting on her shoulder as I struggled to keep my eyes open. I was unsure what to believe was real and as the horse picked up pace beneath me I wondered where we were going. What if I was being taking back to the bunker, was that to be my punishment?

My body tensed at the very thought as panic rose within me, not wanting to ever return to that place ever again. I had barely escaped the first time; there would be no second chance. Lexa sensed the fear that was building within me and wrapped an arm tighter around my waist, pulling me as close as possible.

'Clarke, hey, it's okay. You're safe now' she whispered gently by my ear, my body relaxing in response as her warm breath flowed across my neck and for the first time since my escape I believed it. No longer was I torn as to whether this was all a figment of my imagination, another vision conjured up to weaken my spirit. Lexa had found me, like I always knew she would, and now I could finally rest knowing that she was with me.

Feeling how I responded to her words she lent her head against my own and began humming a lulling tune, the melody soothing me even further and with my mind finally at peace I could stop resisting and my eyes slowly drifted shut.

The next thing I was aware of was the comforting warmth at my back disappearing a second before the world tipped as I was pulled down from the horse. I groaned in protest at the movement before I was weightless once more, my head lolling back without any strength to hold it up. Falling back into the darkness, I heard a number of voices call out from around me as the world became a jumble of sounds.

The arms around me disappeared as I was placed down on some kind of surface, my body reacting with intense bursts of pain as I struggled against the hands pushing me down.

'Clarke, honey, we need you to lie still now' my mom's voice spoke in the distance, and with blurry vision I saw her outline above me, my body stilling as I realized what this meant.

'You're alive' I whispered, my throat feeling tender from screams that I had been unable to control. She smiled gently down at me with a nod before looking over her shoulder to say something about administering the sedative.

My eyes watered as relief coursed through me, the Reaper's attack had failed, though my happiness was short lived when the world pitched into darkness and I was lost to my thoughts once more.

The world came back to me bit by bit, snatches of light here and there as I attempted to tune into what was happening around me. A familiar voice drifted into my head and with great effort I pushed my eyes open to see Lexa having a fierce discussion with Abby on the other side of the room. From what I could see we were in the medical bay at Camp Jaha, the familiar metal walls of the ark unmistakable.

My body refused to cooperate and I had no choice but to remain motionless, watching silently until Lexa glanced over and noticed that I was somewhat conscious. She and Abby quickly moved to the side of my bed, a frown on my mom's face as she read the heart monitor at my side.

'I thought you said she wouldn't be awake for another few hours?' Lexa said to Abby, her voice sounding distant as if I was underwater.

'She shouldn't' Abby confirmed with a frown, tapping her finger thoughtfully on my chart. 'I'll need to give her an extra dose in a moment, I can't understand how she has woken up so early.'

Their conversation was interrupted when someone knocked lightly on the door and Abby disappeared from my line of sight. I watched as Lexa took position at the bottom of my bed, watching me with a hint of sadness.

'Abby told me that you probably won't be able to understand what's happening clearly as you wake up, but I needed to see you' she told me softly, her figure blurring slightly as the medication continued to have an effect. I tried to focus on her face, hardly believing that she was really here. I was desperate to speak, to inquire into what had happened with the Reapers and if everyone had survived.

'Some began to doubt that you'd even survived, I never gave up though Clarke. Not for a second' she told me firmly, not that I'd ever thought any less. Knowing that she was out there searching for me had fuelled my tired body to carry on.

'The Reapers got here before us when they attacked camp, though they were not expecting a retaliation from behind so we had the element of surprise on our side. It was a tough fight but we drove them back and finished them off' she concluded, relief washing over me to hear the words even though it had already been apparant from my surroundings.

My mind was clearly working up to speed as I watched Lexa through half open eyes, my body not so much despite my ongoing efforts to move or even speak. There were many things I would like to have said, all of them swirling in my head simultaneously but unable to be spoken aloud.

The moment of silence was broken when a figure appeared at the doorway, clearing his throat quietly to announce his presence to the Commander. He waited until she approached before mumbling a few quiet words in her ear though they were too far away for me to decipher what was said. Once the Grounder had departed, Lexa returned to the side of my bed this time, a number of emotions crossing her face as looked down at me.

'Abby will return soon to administer your next dose of medicine, I have to go now but you're going to be fine Clarke' she told me, whether it was for my benefit or hers I couldn't tell. My eyes opened wider at her words and I wanted nothing more than to reach out a hand and ask her to stay.

'I'll see you soon Clarke' she said, bending down to place a soft kiss on my forehead, a torn expression on her face before she turned away from me and went to leave the room, hesitating for only a second in the doorway before she was lost from sight. Tears of frustration burned in my eyes as I stared at the space where she had previously been, wishing that I had been able to tell her not to leave me alone. No matter how subtle her words, I knew Lexa well enough by now to sense the finality of her words, that had been a goodbye.

Having no intention of waiting for my mom to return and sedate me once more, I waited as the minutes passed by painfully slowly as more sensation came back to me. Soon I was able to pull myself up into a sitting position, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. I glanced down to find that I had been changed into fresh clothes, thankfully I wouldn't have to drag myself across camp looking like I was half dead with my previous blood stained clothes.

With the relief of being able to move freely once more came the intense pain that had been suppressed earlier by whatever medication I had been on. I ripped out all of the wires that were attached to my arm, not wasting anymore time before pulling myself off of the bed and onto my feet. I staggered for a moment when my unsteady legs almost gave out beneath me but I caught myself on the cabinet beside the bed as I adjusted to being upright once more. The pain burning through my body was like nothing I had ever felt before and I didn't even want to think about how many injuries that involved, right now I only had one thing on my mind.

Not caring who was around, I left the medical room and made my way down the empty corridor. Stopping near the entrance to the Ark to catch my breath, I saw that the sky was dark outside which explained why no one was around. It made my escape from medical all the more easier. Pushing through the pain I continued down the corridor and was soon outside the Ark, stopping short for a moment when I saw a number of tents scattered around that had not previously been there.

I soon recognized them to be from the Grounder camp, my gaze instantly drawn to the larger tent off to the side. Without waiting for my brain to catch up with what I was seeing, I limped straight across the camp towards it. The Commanders white horse was tied up next to the tent, and with a sinking feeling I saw from the few bags strapped across its back that it was ready to depart. It snorted softly as I passed but I ignored the sound and continued on, pushing my way through the entrance and into the lighted interior.

Lexa stood with her back to me as I entered, a number of candles flickering softly as she gazed thoughtfully at the small table in front of her. She turned in surprise at the unexpected entrance, a concerned frown forming on her face when she saw who the intruder was.

'Clarke?' she said in confusion, taking a step towards me as I gripped the table at my side for support. My head was spinning from the effort of holding myself upright but I squeezed my eyes shut and fought away my fatigue.

'Are you leaving?' I whispered, my voice hoarse from what I could only assume had been numerous screams that I could not remember.

'You should be in medical' Lexa told me, taking a step forwards only to stop when I held up a shaking hand. She had yet to answer my question and I wasn't going anywhere before I knew what was happening.

'Are you leaving?' I repeated, my voice coming out slightly stronger as I put more force behind my words. Lexa hesitated and stopped her slow advance as she mulled over her reply, thinking carefully how about to phrase her answer.

'My people wish for me to return to Polis' she finally replied, remaining calm even as she confirmed my fears.

'So you were just going to leave?' I asked in disbelief, having hoped that I had been mistaken all along. 'Ride off in the middle of the night without a second thought, how could you do that?'

'Clarke, I need to get you back to medical. You're not well enough to be walking yet' she insisted, approaching me slowly even as I shook my head in anguish. I brushed away a lone tear that slid down my cheek, if I was taken back to medical I knew that Lexa would not be there when I woke.

'No, you can't just leave' I protested, knowing that I was being selfish but I didn't care. We both did what we had to for our people but I needed her right now. She reached towards me, intending to take me by the arm and return me to the medical bay but I was having none of it.

'No!' I cried out, pulling back sharply to avoid her reaching arms, only for the sudden movement to send a wave of agony ripping through my stomach. My back arched as a scream tore from my throat, darkness blurring my vision for a second as my legs gave way beneath me, only for strong arms to prevent me from crashing to the floor.

I could barely catch my breath as an intense pain raged through my body, like nothing I had ever felt before. Lexa lowered us both carefully to the ground until she was kneeling with me cradled in her arms, her face hovering above mine as tinges of light swirled at the edge my vision. I heard someone push into the tent a moment later, a few hurried words being exchanged as Lexa instructed them to go and get the Chancellor. Her eyes returned to mine a second later, gently shushing me as I attempted to speak, my hand desperately grasping for hers. Seeing my efforts, she took my hand in hers and squeezed it tightly.

'Shhh, it's okay Clarke, you'll be fine' she told me softly, her words drifting over me as I gazed up at her silently, feeling a gentle hand running through my hair. I closed my eyes for a brief moment but that wasn't right, I couldn't see her then. Forcing my eyes open once more, I could've sworn there was a tear tracing a path down her cheek, though I could've been mistaken.

Movement from the entrance of the tent alerted me to my mom's arrival but I couldn't bring myself to look away from Lexa, not sure when I would see her again. The thought of her leaving was almost as unbearable as the agony that was radiating throughout my body. The darkness swirling at the edge of my vision was becoming more prominent but I fought to hold it off, not wanting to be alone again.

'It's okay Clarke, don't worry. I'm not going anywhere' Lexa whispered softly, her voice breaking slightly as more tears ran down her cheek to fall against my face. I was vaguely aware of more people beginning to fill the tent but there could've been only one person for all I cared. A sense of relief washed through me to hear the words and I stared up into her eyes until the last second when I was no longer able to hold back the darkness and the grip on my hand was the last thing I was aware of until even that disappeared entirely, leaving me too face the endless darkness once more.

**Leave a comment and tell me what you thought :)**

**Sorry for the long wait and thanks for all of the comments! My next update won't take as long, hope you all like it :)**


	33. Chapter 33

The trees flew by in a blur of green and brown as my horse tore through the woods that I knew so well, a collection of 40 warriors following closely at my back. The majority of them were also on horseback, some even riding double to increase numbers that would make up the first attack. As Commander I rode alone, only one other had ever been permitted to share my horse. Those following on foot would act as reinforcements if needed, assisting as a secondary assault on the Reapers.

My thoughts lingered on the Skaikru leader that had remained at TonDc to treat the wounded warrior, her own injury having sealed my decision to bring Nyko in her place to the battle at camp Jaha. A few warriors had also been left at TonDc to defend it if any Reapers dared to make a move whilst we defended the Skaikru camp. I allowed myself a moment to think of Clarke before focusing my mind on the task ahead, Clarke was fully capable of taking care of herself in anything did occur. Right now I had to ensure that her people were not slaughtered, I would not be returning with news of how her mother and friends had perished in the attack.

Recognizing that we were now close to the Skaikru camp our pace slowed drastically and I with a signal I ordered the warriors behind me to come to a halt. Indra and three other warriors broke away from the body of horses to accompany me to assess the situation. Despite the urgency that was required, my warriors would not be engaging in battle until I knew the enemies position and numbers. Charging blindly into a fight was a fools error that would get everyone slaughtered. I had seen it first hand from previous leaders and I would not be making the same mistake.

The trees began to thin out up ahead as I pulled my horse to a halt, camp Jaha clearly visible on the slight rise, torches flickering in the darkness that marked the boundary fence. There was little movement from within which gave me reason to suspect that Octavia's group had yet to arrive and warn them of the incoming attack. The only other explanation was that their word had not been taken seriously, though I doubted that the stubborn Sky girl would have much problem convincing her people.

My gaze was drawn further south of the metal building where after a few moments of close observation I saw dark figures converging on the edge of the southern tree line, not yet noticeable to the Ark which remained oblivious to the danger. Returning my gaze to the Ark I was frustrated to see that their borders remained undefended, if the Reapers did choose to attack at this moment than there was little time for the camp to organize any form of defense to withstand the assault.

My horse shifted under me as I surveyed the landscape ahead, one of the warriors at my back approaching with caution as the seconds passed by. I was not oblivious to their impatience, with the enemy in sight many would be eager to ride upon them and slay them where they stood.

'Heda, would you have me inform the others to begin the charge?' he inquired, the horse beneath him snorting in the cool air as I never once took my eyes away from the camp in the distance. Finally I was beginning to see some movement from within, faint noise seeping across the open space as guards moved to take up position at the camp entrance to ward away their attackers.

'Not yet' I told the warrior firmly, something was not quite right. With a bowed head he moved back to his previous position, knowing better than to question my decision. The Reapers towards the south of camp remained in place, not making any move yet to attack. This concerned me more than anything, Reapers were not known for battle tactics though with the mountain leader giving commands I was wary of their plans. I turned to address Indra who remained at my side, also watching the camp intently.

'Indra, take half of the warriors and position them a discrete distance behind the Reapers. Only once they move to attack the camp will you lead the charge.'

The loyal warrior nodded before wheeling her horse around to carry out her orders, the horse kicking up clumps of dirt as it pounded over the ground back to where the others waited. It would be more effective to wipe out the Reapers if they were trapped between two enemies, picked off at the front by the shooters at the Ark and unable to retreat with the attack from behind. I gripped my horse's reigns tighter and guided it further along the tree line, an idea occurring to me as I weighed up the battlefield.

My suspicions were confirmed when I saw similar dark figures moving discretely through the tree's closer to the northern end of the camp, not seen by the guards who were gathered at the front of camp where the larger mass of Reapers had been sighted. Seeing Cage's plan laid out before me it was clear that the main attack was to occur at the rear of camp, the other Reapers merely a diversion to gain the attention of the inhabitants of the camp.

Tugging sharply on the reigns I galloped back to the remaining warriors that had not accompanied Indra south and lead them through the trees to the north where we would attempt to cut off the Reapers from their target. Breaking free from the trees we tore across the open ground towards the rear of camp in the hope that we would be spotted by a guard within the Ark and they would send guards to assist in the battle. Glancing over my shoulder I saw the mass of Reapers at the south leave the shelter of the trees without warning so as to be fully visible to those in camp Jaha. Their loud war cries and display of weapons had all attention placed firmly on them even as the attack from behind advanced ever closer.

Returning my attention to band of Reapers that were advancing on the fence, I drew my sword in preparation as our presence became known to the attackers. Many carried on regardless of our approach, though a number turned to face our charge, their faces twisted into grotesque snarls as they raised their own weapons in response.

Many were trampled by the charging horses before they even had a chance to land a blow, very few managing to leap out of the way in time to avoid the deadly crush from the horses pounding hooves. One Reaper fell under my own horse, the crunch of bone audible even above the screams as I drove my sword down through the skull of my next enemy. My sword was soon dripping red with blood and wheeling my horse around I took a moment to observe the carnage before me.

The ground was littered with the fallen, Trikru and Reapers alike, thought the latter was the larger majority. The sound of steel clashing rang through the air, the screams of the dying mixing with the war cries of those still standing. One Reaper was knocked to the ground by the sheer speed and strength of one horse, attempting to rise from the ground despite the unnatural angle his arm was now bent at, though he was soon returned to the ground when a second horse trampled across his body effectively cutting his efforts short.

As my warriors shed the blood of the Reapers on the open ground, the rest had retreated from the fighting to gain access to the rear of the camp. I could see from my position atop the horse that many had fallen down into the stake filled pits which were now covered with the blood of those unfortunate enough to try to make the leap across. Their failure aided the ones following behind who used the corpses of the fallen to avoid the deadly wooden objects and forge a path to where the fence was the last defense in their way.

Gathering some of my warriors together with a gesture I led them towards the fence, slaying any who dared try to stop us. As the Reapers crossed the defensive ditch I expected to see them thrown back by the pulse of electricity from the wire, unable to cross over into the Skaikru camp. To my dismay the Reapers were not driven back as they hacked through the thin wire with their blades, creating an opening through which they could enter the camp.

I relayed rapid instructions to the Grounders at my back who dismounted to follow the Reapers into camp, the remaining warriors finishing off what was left of the attackers outside the ditch. I wheeled my horse around and pushed it into a brisk trot as I surveyed the battle around me. The Reapers who had attacked the rear of camp were almost fully defeated and, knowing that my warriors were capable of finishing them off, I set off at a gallop towards the front of camp to see how things were faring.

It was a similar scene by the front gate, many Reapers lay dead or dying on the ground as the rest contended with the Trikru warriors that cut them down mercilessly from behind. The front gate opened to allow some of the guards to file out, guns raised as they shot down any Reaper in close proximity. I saw Bellamy amongst the small group, his face set in determination as he instructed the guards to shoot with care. His sister emerged from the gate close behind, pausing when I called for her to hold the gate for me.

Shouting a few words back over her shoulder she waited as I approached the gate, bowing her head slightly before we both entered the camp. Once inside I dismounted smoothly from the horse as the gate was pulled shut behind us, far easier to talk to the Sky girl if I wasn't seated far above her.

'You're aware of the Reapers inside your gates?' I questioned as we strode towards the rear end of camp, receiving a brisk nod from Octavia as she strode at my side.

'We have guards aiding your warriors at this moment, though they are having trouble finding clear shots' she explained.

We rounded the side of the metal building to see the Reapers striking out against the guards attempting to take them down, a number of my warriors lying dead as the rest assisted in blocking the Reapers as they attempted to advance further into camp. The scene was one of chaos with guns firing badly aimed shots and warriors unknowingly preventing the guards from getting any clear view of the target. Both attackers and defenders would slaughter each other soon enough if this continued, I glanced at Octavia who was thinking the same thing and gave her a nod.

'Guards to me!' she called out, raising her blade in the air as she gestured for the men to move back to where she stood, thankfully gaining a quick response as the guards backed up as requested. With more space to maneuver, my warriors could be more effective with slaying the enemy and any that escaped our clutches would not get far before being shot down by the Ark guards.

Some of the warriors paused for a moment when they saw their Commander, calls of Heda filling the air even as the Reapers continued to fall to the ground under their weapons.

'Gonakru, osir gonplei!' I cried, moving forwards with a raised blade to join the attack, the assault on the invading Reapers intensifying as my words had the intended effect. A Reaper threw himself into my path and was greeted with a quick end when my sword cut a jagged path across his chest. I sidestepped quickly to avoid a blade that was intended to pierce my heart, the attacking Reaper growling fiercely as he drew back his arm to strike again, my movements swift as I lunged forwards and slashed my sword across the Reapers arm causing him to drop the weapon with a pained grunt.

Now defenseless, the Reaper threw himself towards me with all the strength he could muster , a strangled cry escaping his lips when I buried my blade deep into his stomach before he could even reach me, collapsing to the ground as the earth stained red with the blood pooling from his wound.

I pulled my sword free from the dying Reaper and cast my gaze around to find that the majority of the Reapers had now been defeated, those attempting to flee were picked off by one of my warriors or a well aimed bullet from the Ark guards. Satisfied that we had detained the threat here, I left them to finish off the last few Reapers and headed back to the front of camp once more.

It was much the same situation as the one I had come from, the remainder of the Reapers that survived being dealt with until none were left. With no immediate threat to the camp I turned to see Kane emerge from the Ark where he had likely been informing those that had taken shelter in the metal structure what had happened. He gave me a warm smile as he approached, the blood stains covering the front of his jacket telling me that he had not been excluded from the fighting.

'Commander, I believe it is to you that we owe this success' he greeted me in way of thanks, well aware that without the warning or support from Trikru the outcome would have been far worse.

'It was a good thing we got here when we did, why was the electric fence not working?' I inquired, the Reapers would not have breached their boundary if the electricity had been flowing through the wire.

'Ah, I'm afraid that would be down to me' Raven replied as she approached from the Ark having heard our conversation. Her leg still enclosed within a brace it took her a moment to hobble over to where we stood. I raised an eyebrow as I waited for an explanation.

'I was having a few issues with the circuit, it'll take another day or two for me to fix the entire perimeter but the current had to be stopped so that I could work on it safely' the mechanic explained. I didn't claim to have any knowledge about how the fence would be fixed though for security reasons it was essential that it was working at all times.

'Was there anything that could've been done to prevent this from happening?' Kane asked her, voice gentle but firm.

'The problems may have been resolved with more regular maintenance' Raven admitted after a small hesitation, willing to accept that this fight could have been resolved sooner had all the necessary work already been finished.

'I know you have a lot of work around camp Raven but make this a priority, it's our best line of defense against any attack' he told her, the dark haired girl nodding her agreement before leaving to see if there was anything she could to help around camp.

'Commander, I do not mean to be disrespectful but I have to go and organize my people' Kane said a moment later, having a lot to prepare to get the camp back in shape once more.

'Of course, my warriors can assist with disposing of the Reapers bodies' I offered, not a task that anyone enjoyed though it had to be done.

'Thank you Commander, feel free to stay as long as you wish before returning to TonDc' Kane replied with a smile, making his way back to the Ark to gather his people and give them instructions. It seemed he was stepping up to role of chancellor even though Abby held the official title, she was over the far side of camp treating the wounded with Nyko.

I moved to where the Chancellor was knelt beside a fallen guard, hooking an arm around the man's waist to pull him to his feet. The guard was a good head taller than the woman and I could see that she was struggling with his weight, barely able to support him. My two guards had returned to their position at my back now that the fighting was over and I gestured for one of them to take hold of the man in Abby's place.

She reluctantly accepted the help, pushing strands of loose hair from her face as she regarded me coolly.

'I was more than capable of walking him to the medical bay' she told me sharply, crossing her arms in front of her chest, having no intention of thanking me for the help. I pushed down a small smile as I was reminded of her daughter, Clarke could be just as stubborn at times. I said nothing in response, telling my guard instead to take the man to the medical bay.

'Casualties?' I asked lightly, not wanting to get in an argument with the woman over something trivial. I had not yet had time to make a count of losses during the battle, though I doubted they would be too high. Kane had clearly managed to get all those that were unarmed safely into the Ark before the attack began, it was how many the Reapers had taken down on the battlefield that I was inquiring about.

'It seems your warriors on horseback were virtually untouchable to the Reapers, twelve of your warriors were killed in battle, another two bled out from their wounds. Twelve of my guards went down when the Reapers broke through the fence. All in all it could've been a lot worse' she told me, forgoing her defensive position to wipe a bloodied hand across her forehead.

Before I could respond Indra approached us from the direction of the front gate, her stride long and purposeful. Abby excused herself to go and treat the wounded in medical, barely sparing a glance at the warrior as she departed. My thoughts on Abby disappeared in an instant when I saw the expression on Indra's face knowing that something was wrong straight away.

'What has happened?' I asked, seeing from the warriors face that it was bad news.

'There is a rider from TonDc at the gate to speak to you Heda, you will want to hear this from them' she told me, instantly raising my suspicions to what this was about. Striding towards the front gate I saw that it was already open as a number of my warriors helped the Skaikru to clear the ground of the fallen Reapers. Ryder stood just outside the gate, having lowered himself down from his horse with some difficulty, blood on his leg marking where a blade had torn through the flesh.

'Heda' the warrior began, bowing his head hurriedly. I saw the expression of concern on his face and nodded at him to speak.

'The Reapers attacked TonDc shortly after you left Heda' he told me though I had already suspected as much. 'Whilst we were battling them at the center of camp, it was discovered to be a diversion when we found Clarke to be missing after the attack.'

A tightening sensation spread through my chest as I listened to the warrior explain how she had been ambushed by a group of Reapers and how the Grounder accompanying her had been found dead amongst the bodies of the slain. Not needing to hear any more I made straight for where my horse was being held and leapt onto it's back, calling out orders for Ryder to be taken to the medical bay immediately, instructing Indra to go to Abby and tell her what had happened.

With Indra remaining at camp Jaha to oversee the warriors that were helping the Skaikru I dug my heels into the horse's side, barely aware of my guards mounting their own horses to follow at my back. I spurred my horse on as fast as it could go and despite being tired from the charge in battle we were soon tearing through the forest at high speed, not resting until we reached TonDc.

One of my warriors waited in camp as I dismounted, not needing any verbal communication as he led me to where the incident had taken place. Dismay filled me as I saw the blood covering the ground, whose blood I could not be sure though I hoped it was not Clarke's.

Three Reapers lay dead on the ground, on closer inspection I saw that two had been taken down by multiple bullet wounds to the chest, the third a deep wound to the stomach. Lying near the fallen reapers was one of my warriors, I could barely recognize him with the amount of blood that covered his face and body though I was informed that he had been assisting Clarke when he was attacked. There must have been six or seven Reapers that ambushed Clarke from the signs of struggle that could be seen in the area, it was a wonder how she had managed to hold them off let alone take some down in the meantime. Of course she wouldn't be taken without a fight.

I moved over to the healers tent where I was greeted with further blood shed, the injured warrior from the forest that had been tended to by Clarke. I saw where she had applied bandages to the wounds that would have most likely healed over time, accompanied by an angry red gash that had been ripped across his throat, unable to make a sound as his life had slipped away.

Tearing my eyes away from the brutal scene I exited the tent to where those of my people that had remained at camp were waiting in the clearing. A few were bloodied from the fighting but they seemed in good enough shape. Dividing them into groups I had some staying behind at camp to clear up what was left from the fighting, the others to spread out in the forest and search for any signs of where Clarke may have been taken.

I led one of the three groups into the forest, following what little remained of the tracks from Clarke's captors. Three sets of boot prints were just visible on the ground, one of them slighter deeper presumably due to carrying Clarke's weight.

These prints soon led into hoof prints and were were unable to follow them for long when they merged with the tracks made by the Reaper army as it had marched on camp Jaha. Anger stirred within me as I scoured the surrounding land for anything to put us back on their path again but there was nothing.

I was tempted to push ahead further, search the entire forest if I had to though I knew that was not the sensible thing to do. It was possible that she was no longer within Trikru territory, they could've taken her anywhere. With one last lingering look out over the still forest I turned away and motioned for my warriors to return with me to camp, hoping that the other groups had fared better.

Upon my return to camp I found Indra and Chancellor Griffin waiting near my tent, a few hours had passed whilst I had been searching the forest so they must have only just arrived. Bellamy was busy wearing a path into the earth as he paced to and fro close by. After the incident in the forest resulting in Clarke's injury he was being bold to even dare step foot in this camp. Before I approached them one of my warriors informed me that none of the other search groups had found any sign of Clarke and were waiting on my orders.

I instructed him to gather two more groups and have them set out once more, only to return with results after two days of searching. The warrior barely had time to back away before the infuriated Chancellor marched towards me, the anger strikingly clear on her features as Indra followed not far behind.

'Not here' I said sharply before she had a chance to hurl whatever accusations she had in mind my way. 'We shall speak in my tent, both of you.'

Without waiting for any confirmation I strode past the furious women towards my tent, knowing that she had no choice but to follow. Darkness was beginning to fall over camp and I lit a few candles to cast some light over the interior of the tent, aware of Abby's piercing glare fixed on my back.

'How could you let my daughter get abducted?' she spat angrily when I remained silent, arms crossed over her chest as she regarded me darkly.

'Heda did not _let_ anything happen' Indra bit back as I turned slowly to face her accusations. 'If you remember, we were defending your camp from the Reapers at the time.'

'All your promises of safety and still my daughter is in the hands of the enemy, they should have taken you instead' Abby went on, her words met with a furious growl from Indra who did not take such disrespect lightly.

'Mind your tongue Sky leader' the warrior growled, preparing to say more before I gestured for her to remain quiet.

'I understand you're upset Abby but right now we have to focus on finding your daughter rather than fighting over who's to blame' I said firmly, biting back any sharp response that would only escalate the matter. I would not waste time arguing with Abby when we could be finding Clarke.

'You can't understand how upset I am, you don't even care that Clarke is missing!' Abby exclaimed, blundering on with her insults without even realizing how deep her words cut. 'Why she wanted to stay here I will never understand but now she will see that I was right, trusting you was a mistake.'

Indra's hand clenched tightly on her weapons hilt and looked ready to unleash all hell on the chancellor but this time I would not remain quiet.

'How dare you presume to know such things, I do care that your daughter has been taken Abby. You know nothing of your daughters choices regarding her stay at this camp and have no right to speak to me in such away. I advise you to return to your own camp and coordinate a search from there, I will do the same here.'

It took all of my self control to maintain a somewhat collected composure as anger coiled tight within my chest and it seemed that Abby recognized that I would not be willing to suffer her disrespectful remarks any longer. With a final challenging glare the women turned on her heel and went out into the darkness of the camp, Indra following a discrete distance at her back.

Finally alone with my thoughts I could allow myself a moment of respite, closing my eyes briefly as I recognized the emotion swirling through me. This would not end the same way it had with Costia, we would find Clarke whatever it took. Abby had no idea how wrong she had been when stating how little I cared for her daughter, quite the opposite. I would not rest until Clarke was safe once more, no matter how long it took I would not let her down.

_**My first Lexa POV so let me know what you thought and if there's any way I could improve. More to come of Lexa's POV that I will continue with in the next chapter before returning to Clarke, leave a comment and tell me what you thought! :D**_


	34. Chapter 34

_**Lexa's POV**_

I stared thoughtfully down at the map in front of me, contemplating where next to search when a voice called for permission to enter. They came in at my instruction and the warrior bowed his head slightly out of respect.

'What do you have to report?' Indra asked him from where she had been stood quietly at the other end of the table, not having wanted to disturb my concentration.

'We scoured the area twice and found nothing, are we to be relocated?' the warrior replied somewhat nervously, having heard from others what reception they had gotten from their commander after returning once again empty handed.

'You say you retraced your path a second time?' I asked him, turning away from the table to fix my gaze on the bowed head. My warriors rarely seemed to catch my eye recently, clearly fearful of bringing my wrath down upon them.

'Sha heda' he confirmed, lowering his head even further as a moment of silence passed by. His news was not what I wanted to hear, this was the third patrol to return in a single day with little to report.

'Then go back and look a third time, a fourth if you must' I snapped, feeling Indra's gaze turn to me at the sharp tone.

'Heda..I am certain that-'

'Are you questioning my commands?' I said softly, this apparently far more intimidating to the warrior then any amount of shouting. Possibly it had something to do with the way my grip tightened on my sword when my orders weren't carried out immediately.

'No Heda, I will set off at once' he hastily corrected, backing out of the tent with his head remaining as low as possible rather than risk my wrath. I turned back to the map once more, casting my gaze over the black marks that indicated no further sightings had been made.

'What is it Indra?' I inquired, feeling the warriors steady gaze resting on me even as she remained silent. Clearly she did not agree with my methods, she rarely did.

'They would not have missed anything Heda, sending them out again is pointless' she stated, never afraid to question my judgement.

'There is always the possibility, that was the most promising place to find any clues so they will search again until they find something' I replied, not taking my eyes from the map as I located the area that I had just sent my warriors to look over once again. Tracking the most likely path that the Reapers had taken would've lead them straight through that area of the forest, I had to be certain.

'And if they don't?' Indra asked, barely flinching when my hand struck the table with such force that an audible crack was heard throughout the tent.

'That isn't an option' I growled, retracting my hand from the table to find it fortunately still standing. It seemed I had been more prone to outbursts recently, mostly due to my frustration at our fruitless search.

'Heda, it has been over a week now...' Indra began hesitantly, knowing that even she wasn't exempt from my fury.

I was fully aware how much time had passed, everyday had been spent sending out groups of warriors to search the forest with varying success. A few tracks had been picked up but they were quickly lost and it felt like we were repeatedly starting from scratch.

'The girl could be anywhere by now, she may not even be within our territory' Indra said, waiting for some semblance of a reply though none came as I stared down silently at the map. 'I can keep the search groups running smoothly, I believe it's best that you return to Polis.'

Indra lapsed into silence once she had said her piece, standing straight as I swiveled to face her.

'You want me to leave this camp and go to Polis...' I began softly as I took a small step towards her, '...whilst Clarke is out there in the wild, most likely fighting for her life?'

My voice rose in volume with every word that was spoken, unable to even consider such an idea.

'You were meant to return to Polis some time ago Heda, though it was for the Skaikru girl that you stayed and yet again now you refuse to go because of her' Indra continued, remaining strong in the face of my anger.

'I will not be returning to Polis until I know that Clarke is safe' I said firmly, moving back to my previous position by the table as the warrior relaxed slightly.

'You cannot put her before the needs of your own people Heda' the warrior went on, not quite ready to give up her argument quite yet.

'Enough Indra' I said sharply, another warrior entering before she had time to question me further.

'Heda, our patrol is ready to leave. Where would you have us travel to?' he asked, not having yet received a location to search.

Looking down at the map I knew precisely which location I would send them to search and would not be lingering in camp to listen to any more of Indra's challenging words.

'I will lead the group myself, Indra you will oversee matters here whilst I am gone' I told her, not hanging around to here any more objections as I breezed out of the tent with the other warrior following at my back. The patrol was already mounted and ready to leave so it was not long before our group was heading out of camp. A few of the warriors rode just up ahead, the rest following behind as we set a rapid pace through the forest.

Our destination was some distance south, an area that had not yet been covered by any of my patrols. We were all on high alert, observing our surroundings closely for anything that might warn us of danger or lead us towards Clarke.

I could hardly stand to remain at camp as the days passed by and Clarke remained nowhere to be found, it felt better to be out actively searching for her. Indra was not wrong when she had hinted that Clarke may not still be in Trikru territory but I refused to believe it, she had to be in this forest somewhere and I would not rest until she was found.

In the distance a horse was seen tearing through the forest in our direction, our group coming to a halt as the horse got closer and I could clearly see the Trikru warrior atop the animal.

'Heda, I was on my back to camp to find you' he called out, pulling the reins tighter as the horse shifted beneath him. 'We have found the place where Clarke was being held.'

My breath caught for a moment at the news, hardly daring to believe that we might be so close to finding her.

'Take us there now' I commanded not a second later, the warrior quickly wheeling the horse around to lead our group further south. I was filled with equal amounts of hope and worry as I wondered what I was about to witness, could it be that we were finally getting close?

The journey took the rest of the day and, after having no choice but to camp for the night, we set off again early the next morning before we finally arrived at our destination. We were now at the most southern point of our territory, close to where the land gave way to the sea. The warrior ahead dismounted and I did the same, following him to where a hatch lay nestled into the ground, the open lid allowing me to see the metal ladder that led down into the dimly lit bunker.

I descended the rungs with ease and strode through the narrow corridors, sidestepping around a dead soldier that appeared to be one of Cage's right hand men and was directed by my warrior into a room on the right. The metal chair fixed in the center of room told me that this was where Clarke had been held, the multiple shackles around the room leaving little to the imagination. I felt a surge of anger at the way Clarke had been treated, chained like an animal in this horrific place.

Retracing my steps back down the corridor I inspected the two dead bodies in more detail, the first having received a single gunshot wound to the head, the second from two puncture wounds to the stomach from what I assumed was some kind of dagger. There was blood coating the floor and even the walls, it looked like a scene from a nightmare.

'Heda there is more to see' the warrior said quietly from the end of the corridor and led me back up into the open air away from the horrific scenes in the bunker. We headed to the right, away from the cliffs and back into the forest, not needing to travel far before I saw the two bodies on the ground.

The first was another guard with a stab wound to the abdomen, though it was the second body that caught my attention. The unmistakable leader of the mountain who had slaughtered so many of my people lay dead on the ground, taken down by a single bullet to the chest. The central shot had missed his heart leading to a long, slow death as he had eventually bled out.

An intense need to find Clarke burned through me and I turned away from the bloodied scene to return to my horse, my warriors doing the same. I dug my heels into the animals side and we moved further into the trees, Clarke could not have long been here and she would not have been able to get far depending on any injuries that she had received during her capture.

The deaths of these men would not have weighed lightly on her shoulders, killing was not something that Clarke took pleasure in and I knew that her mind would be troubled by her actions. I cast my gaze desperately around the forest for any sign of her as we moved ahead at a steady pace, she would have no concept of location this far south and would not necessarily be heading directly for camp.

My head whipped around when an agonized scream sounded from nearby, and I instantly recognized it to be Clarke. My entire being resonated at the sound and with a sharp tug on the reins I was quickly charging in the direction that it had come from. With every sense on high alert I could hardly bear to hear the sound of a second tortured scream ripping through the air, whoever was hurting Clarke was going to pay dearly for their mistake.

A few moments later I saw darkly clad figures gathered ahead and slowed my pace as I recognized the guard uniform from the Ark. At the sound of our approach the guards turned to face us and as my horse came to a stop I saw the hunched figure on the ground behind them.

'Keep them back' I growled to my warriors when I saw the shock lashes that the Ark guards had clearly been striking Clarke with. They jumped down from their horses and roughly pushed the Ark guards back as instructed. I fixed my eyes on the figure lying on the ground, slowly dismounting from my horse and moving towards her without making any sudden movements that might scare her. I saw the terror cross Clarke's expression as I got closer, using what little strength she had left to try and pull back away from me though I quickly closed the distance between us and held her firmly in place before she could hurt herself further by struggling.

'Clarke, it's okay I'm here now' I told her gently, struggling to keep my voice steady as I gazed into her once bright blue eyes, now clouded with pain and confusion, clearly on the edge of exhaustion after her ordeal. I continued to whisper reassurances and comforting words as I looked down over her torn clothes, noting where hints of blood were seen seeping out through the material. Lifting my eyes back to Clarke's it was clear that she was unable to make any sense of what I was saying, hardly conscious and I knew I had to get her medical attention as soon as possible.

I called over my shoulder for my warriors to get ready to depart once more for camp Jaha, not paying any more attention to the guards as I focused all of my efforts on Clarke. Without delay I gripped her under the legs and around the shoulders to lift her into my arms, easily adjusting to the weight as I carried her to where my horse stood waiting. Clarke's body hung worryingly limp in my arms and I pushed down a surge of fear as I maneuvered her up onto the animal, ensuring that she was firmly in place before jumping up a second later to take my place at her back.

Slipping a steadying arm around her waist I kicked my heels into the horse's side and set off back to camp Jaha. It was closer than TonDc and Abby could treat her daughter's wounds more efficiently with her broader knowledge of medicine than Nyko could. I willed Clarke to stay strong as I felt her entire weight lent against me, unable to remain upright without support. Her head rested against my shoulder as we rode, her eyes flickering open as she struggled to remain conscious.

I pushed my horse even faster as I was filled with a sense of urgency, now having finally found her I was not willing to lose her to anything. She stirred against me and I felt her breathing quicken against my neck even as her body tensed noticeably, seemingly terrified by some thought that had come to mind.

'Clarke, hey, it's okay. You're safe now' I whispered gently by her ear as I instinctively wrapped my arm tighter around her waist, pulling her even closer. Her body relaxed in response to my words and I was almost surprised at how quickly she calmed at the reassurance, an idea quickly forming in my mind. Leaning my head lightly on hers I began humming what I hoped was a soothing melody, encouraged to continue when her body relaxed further, the tension disappearing entirely and it wasn't long before her breathing had steadied into a more regular rhythm.

My own worries were constantly present at the back of my mind, she did not seem to be in a good way and I had no intention of bringing my horse to a stop until we arrived at the gates of camp Jaha. My feeling of relief at finding Clarke had quickly been replaced by an unquenchable fear that I would now lose her. Speeding through the sunlit forest ahead of my warriors I kept an arm around her waist and continued to hum the quiet melody long after she fell into unconsciousness.

Clarke didn't stir once the entire way back to camp Jaha and it would've worried me a lot more if not for the steady breaths that I could feel against my neck. The gate was swung open with little delay when the Ark guards saw us approach and I slowed my horse as we entered the quiet camp.

It wasn't long before the metal door at the front of the Ark opened and Abby came rushing out to meet us. Ignoring the rush of people that came spilling out of the metal structure I lept down from the horse and turned to gently lower Clarke down after me. She groaned at the unexpected movement but hardly seemed conscious as she hung weakly in my arms.

'You found her!' Abby exclaimed as she neared, relief coursing through her that her daughter was back home.

'It's Clarke, they found her!' a voice that I recognized to be Bellamy's drifted across from the front of the Ark where he set off at a jog towards us, a collection of Clarke's close friends following behind.

'Keep them back' I snapped at my warriors who quickly formed a barrier between us and them, much to their displeasure. Clarke needed to get inside, not be encircled by gawping fools who would only overwhelm her.

'What the hell? Let me through' Bellamy demanded when one of my warriors roughly pushed him back. I didn't break my stride as he continued to protest, I was more intent on getting Clarke inside.

We were soon entering the Ark and Abby led me straight to medical where I lay her daughter down on one of the many beds. Clarke cried out as soon as she placed down, clearly in pain from her injuries.

'Clarke, honey, we need you to lie still now' Abby told her daughter softly before instructing me to take hold of Clarke's arms and keep her in place.

'You're alive' Clarke whispered softly, gazing up at her mother in wonder as if unable to believe it was true. Abby nodded with a smile before glancing over her shoulder briefly and telling Jackson to administer a sedative.

'If she continues to struggle there's a chance that it could make her injuries even worse' Abby explained when she saw my questioning gaze. I looked back down at Clarke who was staring blindly into the distance as she continued to push against my hold on her arms. Jackson returned a moment later and injected a small needle into her arm, she stilled almost immediately and her eyes slowly shut as she drifted away into unconsciousness.

I took a step back as Abby immediately began to assess her daughter's injuries. Not wanting to get in her way I moved to the far side of my room and turned my back on them, balling my hands into fists in an attempt to stop them from shaking. It was difficult to see Clarke in such a state and it took a moment for me to compose myself, a distraction presenting itself when Kane appeared outside the medical room. Glancing over my shoulder to see Abby continuing to treat her daughter I quietly left the room, the doors sliding shut at my back.

'How is she?' Kane asked as I turned to face him, concern clearly written on his features.

'Alive' I replied bluntly, far from happy at the way the Ark guards had handled the situation. Kane's frown deepened at my tone, clearly his men had not yet returned from the woods. 'Her current state could've been somewhat better had your guards not shock lashed her in the woods.'

I gave Kane no chance to reply when I motioned for one of my warriors to approach, instructing him to return to TonDc and inform Indra that Clarke had been found. There was no need for further patrols to be sent out now that she was safe.

'I apologize for my men's actions though I'm certain they had good reason. I will see that it is looked into' he reassured me, maintaining a cool composure which only irritated me further. His men had attacked Clarke with their weapons and it hardly seemed right that they escaped any consequences of their actions.

More than willing to push Kane further on the matter I did not have the chance when I saw a number of Clarke's friends approaching from down the corridor. Just seeing Bellamy's determined face sent a bolt of anger through me and I knew that it would not end well if we were to have this confrontation.

'They do not enter' I growled at Kane, not bothering to wait for his reply before turning away from the oncoming group and going back into the medical room. A monitor had been hooked up next to Clarke's bed and traced the pattern of her heart; we had no technology like it at our camp. I watched the small line leap up and down, only looking away when Abby approached.

'There's a multitude of bruises and scrapes all over her body and the bullet wound she received recently needed cleaning up but other than that her body just needs time to rest' she told me before I could even ask, placing a heap of dirty clothes on the bench at her side. Whilst I was out Abby had gotten Clarke into cleaner clothes whilst inspecting her injuries.

I nodded in thanks and moved to stand at the bottom of Clarke's bed, watching her chest rise and fall with each breath. The sedative had clearly done its job and she looked almost peaceful as she lay oblivious to her surroundings.

'When will she wake?' I asked quietly, not wanting to disturb her rest.

'It'll be at least a few hours, though she might be confused when she does regain consciousness. You don't have to stay Lexa, she's safe now' Abby replied, not seeming surprised when I shook my head at the suggestion. Without further conversation she moved away to take stock of the medical supplies. I took no notice of her actions, staring down at Clarke instead as if she might disappear the second I looked away. After some time the door opened behind me and I looked over to see one of my warriors enter, scroll in hand.

'Heda, this was delivered to TonDc from the capitol' he told me before handing over the scroll. I didn't even have to open it to know what the message was, another of the many summons I had recently been receiving from my ambassadors who requested my presence in Polis. I glanced over my shoulder at Clarke before turning back to the warrior with a light sigh.

'Have my horse saddled and ready to depart' I commanded, the warrior inclining his head before backing out of the room. No longer could I delay my return to Polis, the sooner I left the sooner I could return to Clarke.

'What was the about?' Abby inquired from the other side of the room, her cool tone suggesting that she knew precisely what had just happened.

'I am needed in the capitol' I replied tightly as I turned to face her. She looked far from pleased, arms crossed over her chest as she regarded me closely.

'And what of Clarke? Now that you've done your bit by bringing her home you're just going to leave?' she asked, a hint of anger in her voice that surprised me though I did not let it show.

'I thought you would be happy to see me gone, isn't that what you wanted all along?' I retorted darkly, advancing closer so as to keep my voice low and not disturb Clarke.

'I admit that we have had our differences but it would appear the two have you have grown close over the last few months and I know that she would want to see you when you when she regains consciousness' Abby said somewhat reluctantly. I certainly hadn't been expecting this from the Chancellor, she had been eager to get me away from her daughter ever since we had met so this was rather odd to hear coming from her.

'I understand, and I will not be gone for long-'

'Leaving me to tell Clarke that you had matters more important than her health to attend to when she wakes, I'm sure she'll take that well' Abby interrupted sharply, whatever understanding that had been developing between us broken in an instant. Whatever biting response I was about to unleash died on my lips when I glanced over to see Clarke watching us with half open eyes.

'I thought you said she wouldn't be awake for another few hours?' I asked Abby as we moved over to the bed, sure that so much time had not already passed.

'She shouldn't' Abby confirmed, casting her gaze of the small chart to check the dosage given. A light knock on the door sounded and Kane gestured to Abby that they needed to speak. The chancellor returned the chart to the table and told me that she would return soon to apply an extra dose before leaving with Marcus.

'Abby told me that you probably won't be able to understand what's happening clearly as you wake up, but I needed to see you' I told Clarke softly, now that Abby was gone I could speak to her freely.

'Some began to doubt that you'd even survived, I never gave up though Clarke. Not for a second' I said firmly, needing her to know that giving up had never been an option.

'The Reapers got here before us when they attacked camp, though they were not expecting a retaliation from behind so we had the element of surprise on our side. It was a tough fight but we drove them back and finished them off' I informed her, knowing that she would be worried as to the fate of her people. It didn't seem that Clarke was able to make any response, other than watch as I continued to speak.

One of my warriors appeared at the door behind me and waited until I approached to inform me that my horse had been saddled and was ready to leave at a moment's notice. I nodded as he retreated back out into the corridor, emotion washing over me when I realized that this had to be a goodbye.

'Abby will return soon to administer your next dose of medicine' I told Clarke, moving to stand at the side of her bed. 'I have to go now but you're going to be fine.'

I saw her eyes widen at my words and the silent look of desperation that she gave me was almost enough to make me postpone my return to Polis and remain here but I could not do that.

'I'll see you soon Clarke' I said, bending down to place a soft kiss on her forehead, taking in the sight of her for a moment longer before turning to leave, hesitating for only a second in the doorway before continuing on down the corridor.

I could barely breathe through the tightness in my throat as I strode out of the Ark towards where a tent had been put up over the last few weeks as my warriors had remained to aid the camp in rebuilding defenses. Leaving Clarke in such a way was almost impossible though I had to leave. I lit a few of the candles that were positioned around the interior, picking up the scroll once more and rereading it.

More than anything I wanted to stay and be there when Clarke was fully awake but I had put off my trip to Polis for far too long now. If matters did not take long in the capitol then I could be back here within the next few weeks, I hoped that was the case.

Placing the scroll back down on the table I was surprised to hear the cloth at the entrance of my tent moving back as someone entered. I had no warriors on guard outside though usually they would request permission before just coming straight in. My surprise soon turned into concern when I turned to see a rather unsteady Clarke moving further inside.

'Clarke?' I asked in confusion, she had been semi-conscious not long ago and it was a wonder that she was able to stand. Even as I watched she had to grip the table at her side, squeezing her eyes shut briefly as she fought away a wave of dizziness.

'Are you leaving?' she whispered, her voice hoarse and barely audible after her numerous screams from not long ago.

'You should be in medical' I told her, clearly remembering Abby's words on how her body needed time to heal. I took a step forwards only to stop when she held up a shaking hand. It seemed that she would not be going anywhere until I had answered her question.

'Are you leaving?' she repeated, putting more force behind her words this time. I hesitated and didn't reply for a moment, thinking carefully about how to phrase my answer. The last thing I wanted was to upset her further.

'My people wish for me to return to Polis' I finally replied, somehow remaining calm even as I saw the hurt burning in her eyes.

'So you were just going to leave?' she asked in disbelief, 'Ride off in the middle of the night without a second thought, how could you do that?'

'Clarke, I need to get you back to medical. You're not well enough to be walking yet' I insisted, approaching her slowly even as she shook her head in anguish. Even I could see the effort that it was taking for her to stand, and I feared that she was not helping herself by being up so soon. She brushed away a lone tear that slid down her cheek and I saw the defiance in her eyes, she was not going to be taken anywhere without a fight.

'No, you can't just leave' she protested, more tears sliding down her cheeks despite her constant efforts to brush them away. I reached towards her in an attempt to lead her back to medical, she could have a go at me all she liked when she was well but now was not the time.

'No!' she cried out, pulling back sharply to avoid my reaching arms, only for her back to arch at the sudden movement and an agonized scream to tear from her throat. Her legs gave way a second later and I only just caught her in time before she hit the floor.

I lowered us both carefully to the ground until I was kneeling with Clarke cradled in my arms, her face contorting with agony as pain ripped through her body. A warrior pushed into the tent a moment later after hearing the scream and I quickly ordered him to go and get Abby. I looked back down at Clarke once they were gone, gently shushing her as she attempted to speak. Glancing down I saw her hand desperately searching for mine and I clasped it tightly, hoping to offer whatever comfort I could.

'Shhh, it's okay Clarke, you'll be fine' I told her softly, running a gentle hand through her hair as she kept her eyes fixed on me. I could do nothing to stop the tear that slid down my cheek, filled with a sorrow like I had never felt before at being unable to do anything to stop her pain. If there was a way to take it from her then I would in a heartbeat.

Movement from the entrance of the tent alerted me to the chancellors arrival but I refused to take my eyes from Clarke for even a second. The thought of losing her was unbearable and it broke my heart to see her suffering so much.

'It's okay Clarke, don't worry. I'm not going anywhere' I whispered softly, my voice breaking slightly as I felt more tears run down my cheek to fall against Clarke's face. I stared down into her eyes even as more people began to fill the tent until her blue eyes drifted shut and her grip on my hand loosened to fall away entirely.

Her body went completely limp in my arms and I was aware of very little as she was pulled from my grip by one of the Ark guards under Abby's instruction and carried out of the tent back to medical. Meaningless words filled the air around me and I could only watch as they took her out of my sight, the tent clearing soon after as my warriors left behind them.

All I could think of was the way that Clarke had gazed up at me as if I were the only one in the tent, even as she had been losing consciousness her eyes had never left mine. I didn't know what I would do if I lost her. I slowly rose to my feet, barely taking a moment to collect myself before I went out into the night after them.

_**Leave a comment and tell me what you thought :)**_

_**Next chapter switches back to Clarke's POV**_


	35. Chapter 35

**_Clarke's POV_**

My eyes slowly opened to a dimly lit room, the world becoming less blurry with each passing second. A small amount of sunlight filtered in through a nearby window and I soon recognized the layout of the medical bay as I turned my head slightly, wincing when even that small movement sent a wave of pain along my back.

'Clarke honey, you should stay still' my mom advised quietly, approaching the bed from where she had been stood on the far side of the room. She lowered herself to sit on the edge of my bed, smiling with teary eyes to see me awake.

'Mom' I whispered, my voice barely audible due to my dry throat. I attempted to sort through my muddled thoughts as she picked up the glass of water by the bed and placed it to my lips so that I could take small sips. At first I could remember very little, though one person held the majority of my thoughts.

'Did she go?' I asked tentatively once I had drunk my fill, not sure that I was ready to hear the answer. I vaguely remembered the encounter in Lexa's tent though little of what had been said.

'She refused to leave your side' my mom told me with a small smile, quickly replaced by a wince when an unmistakable voice filtered through into the medical bay. With some effort I lifted my head from the pillow and understood my mom's reaction when I saw Lexa outside the door, her posture tense as she unleashed her anger on a rather tired looking Marcus.

Her voice was barely audible through the closed door but there was no mistaking the edge of anger that sharpened her tone. I let out a small sigh, wondering briefly what trouble they had now gotten themselves into.

'Do you know how long I've been trying to convince her to get some rest? It must be days since she's had any proper sleep' my mom told me with a disbelieving shake of her head. 'I suggested she take a break or even just go for a short walk around camp. Do you know how hard it is to get her to do something when she's set against it?'

I just smiled and relaxed back against the pillow; I knew better than anyone just how difficult Lexa could be at times. The sound of the door sliding back was heard before I could reply and a second later I lifted my head to see Lexa striding towards us, her anger melting away in an instant when she saw that I was awake.

'Clarke, how are you feeling?' she asked softly, coming to a stop at the end of the bed, her eyes flicking over me in concern. Her tone was gentle and held none of the previous anger that had been directed at Kane, clearly relieved to see that I was finally awake.

'Hurts' I replied briefly, a beat of silence passing as Lexa and I shared a knowing smile. My mom's gaze flicked between us as the moment stretched on, not understanding the private reference.

'Well I'd best go and check how Marcus is faring' my mom said to break the silence as she rose to her feet, giving the Commander a small nod as she headed out of the room to where Kane was rubbing his forehead with a frown.

'Was I imagining it or did you and my mom just stay in the same room for more than five minutes without having a heated argument?' I mumbled once my mom had left, shifting slightly to find a more comfortable position on the bed.

'Let's just say we found some common ground when it comes to your wellbeing' Lexa replied with a small smile, still watching me carefully as she spoke. I should've known that if they were going to bond over anything then it would be my recovery.

Pulling myself upright was turning out to be more of a challenge than I had previously anticipated, hissing through tightly clenched teeth when pain sparked through my torso. Lexa abandoned her spot at the end of the bed in an instant and moved over to my side with a concerned expression.

'Clarke? Do you want me to get Abby?' she offered, a hand hovering over my arm, unsure how best to help. She went to back away and get my mom but I reached out and grabbed her hand before she could.

'No, stay' I managed to say, leaning back against the pillows to ease the pain as Lexa reluctantly lowered herself down to sit on the bed, not removing her hand from my grip as she did.

'This could've all been avoided if you'd had the sense to stay in bed earlier' she sighed lightly, her eyes darkening slightly as she remembered how I had burst into her tent with my demands.

'When do I ever do things the easy way?' I replied, trying to take my mind away from the aching pain burning down my side. I glanced up and couldn't help but notice the glint of sorrow that passed across her features.

'I thought I'd lost you Clarke' she whispered after a few moments of silence, closing her eyes briefly as she struggled with an internal fight to remain composed.

'I'm here, you didn't lose me', I said soothingly, tightening my grip on her hand. Even I had believed that moment in her tent was the end, never had I experienced such pain like that and from what my mom had told me it had been close.

'You were lying in my arms and I couldn't do anything to help you' she continued, and I wondered if she had even heard me speak.

'Hey, look at me' I told her firmly, seeing her eyes open as she returned to reality. 'I'm fine, there's no use dwelling on it.'

A tiny nod was all I got in return and I hardly gave it a moment's thought before I leant forwards from the pillow to wrap my arms around her shoulders, ignoring the pain that the motion caused. I felt the tension ease from her body as her arms wrapped around me in return and I buried my face into her neck, both of us savouring the closeness that was offered. Far too soon Lexa slowly untangled herself from my grip and gently pushed me back against the pillows, a chuckle escaping her lips at my protest.

'You're determined to be a bad patient aren't you?' she teased, interlocking her fingers with mine once again a moment later without a thought.

'I'd hate to be boring' I retorted, wincing at the pain in my body but I didn't even care at that moment, pleased to have brought a smile to her lips. I would stay in Lexa's arms for an eternity if I could.

We spent some more time talking for a while; general conversation that allowed us both to ignore what was coming for at least a short time, not that it could last forever. I inquired about the heated argument with Kane earlier and she told me how my friends had been kicking up a fuss about being in the medical bay despite my mom's insistence that they would only be in the way.

'Abby told them to remain outside and I was merely enforcing her rule' Lexa explained, and I could just picture her telling my friends very clearly what was expected of them. No doubt a few harsh words had been exchanged in the process, it was no surprise I hadn't seen any of them yet. Not that I was complaining, the more time alone I could get with Lexa the better.

'So, when do you leave?' I finally asked after we had fallen into silence, almost dreading the reply but I could not put it off any longer. 'And don't even think about making any suggestions to stay here.'

Lexa frowned at my words, stopping whatever she had been about to say. Clearly I had been right about her intentions, she would have offered to remain in camp as I healed before making any arrangements to travel to Polis but I couldn't let her do that.

'I was being selfish before, when I came into your tent I was hardly aware of what was happening and I had no right to demand anything from you.'

It was not that I wanted her to leave, far from it, and I would be lying if I said that I did not need her here, but her people needed her more.

'Clarke, I would-'

'I know' I said simply, having no doubt that she would stay without question if I asked her to. The reluctance in her eyes showed me as much and I could see how torn she was over the decision.

'Your people need you Lexa' I said firmly, and eventually she nodded slowly in response, the sadness that filled her expression hurting more than anything.

'Besides, the sooner you go the sooner you can come back to me' I said lightly to ease the mood, though my voice shook slightly as I spoke and looking into Lexa's eyes I was sure that mine held the same glint of tears.

'Then I will set off tomorrow morning' she decided, her eyes dropping to where our hands lay intertwined by her leg, looking like she never wanted to let go. I didn't even want to think about her leaving yet, right now she was here and I didn't want to ruin that.

'You look tired, get some sleep' she said softly, returning her gaze to mine and I realised just how drained I was feeling. I had barely opened my mouth before Lexa shushed me with a half-smile, knowing what I was about to ask. 'I'll be right here when you wake up.'

I smiled at her ability to know what I was thinking without having to say a word and reassured that she wasn't going anywhere whilst I slept, I slowly let my eyes drift shut. A moment later Lexa began to hum the now familiar tune that I had heard after my rescue, the lulling melody easing me into a much needed rest.

Unwanted memories soon began to spill into my peaceful sleep, my time in captivity being relived in far more detail than I would care for. The feel of the knife in my hand as I had been forced to take down the guards, the boom of the gun as the bullet had ripped into Cage's chest. Instead of falling to the ground he laughed, a bitter, scornful sound and once again I was strapped to the chair in the bunker. He stood by the metal door, blood still pooling from his chest as he tormented me with all of the ways he was going to make me suffer. My breath caught when he mentioned Lexa's name, his twisted sneer morphing into a sickening smile as he ordered his men to find the Commander.

I jerked awake with a cry, barely aware of the pain caused by my sudden movement as I adjusted to my surroundings, clearly not back in the bunker as I had believed. Strong hands gripped my arms as I struggled, keeping me still as I left the dark memories behind me, my vision clearing to see Lexa looking down on me in concern.

'Lexa' I breathed softly, relief flowing through me to know that she was not hurt, that Cage had not gotten to her. I didn't know what I would do if anything happened to her.

'It's okay, I'm here' she assured me, wiping some loose strands from my face as I leant back against the pillows with a deep breath. Cage was dead, he couldn't hurt us anymore.

'He was going to kill you, he told me-' I began but Lexa placed a finger on my lip to stop me.

'He's gone Clarke, it was just a dream' she said firmly, relaxing her grip on my arms when the door slid open at her back and I glanced over to see my mom in the doorway, a frown forming on her face when she saw my distressed state.

'What's going on?' she questioned, striding over to feel my forehead as Lexa moved out of her way.

'It's nothing' I told her, pulling myself together as my mom looked down at me unconvinced, she didn't have to believe me but no way was I letting her give me any more sedative. Thankfully she backed away and grabbed some medication from a nearby draw, her gaze falling back on me a second later as she hesitated momentarily.

'I just need to get this to a patient and then I'll be straight back' she informed me, reluctantly moving away from my bed. 'Do not let her up to walk in any circumstance, she needs to rest' she directed at Lexa, waiting for the Commander to nod in understanding before leaving us alone once more, her pace quickening as she strode down the corridor, intent on returning as soon as possible.

I laid my head back against the pillow with a sigh, not wanting to face my mom's probing questions anytime soon. Shaking the dream was proving harder than I had thought, and remaining in this room was not helping. I had woken up to these surroundings far too many times and I couldn't stand it for another second. Completely disregarding my mom's instructions I attempted to pull myself further upright, wanting to go anywhere other than here. I didn't get very far before Lexa was stood at the side of my bed, looking down on me with a stern expression.

'I can't stand to be in here any longer, there are other spare rooms that I can stay in' I told her with a sigh, knowing that a lot of persuading would be needed to get past her and I didn't have the energy to fight.

'If that's what you want' she said, surprising me with the lack of argument on the subject. I glanced up at her questioningly, not having expected her to be so compliant.

'But my mom just told you not to let me walk anywhere, I-'

'Who said anything about walking?' she replied with a smile, not giving me any time to react before stooping slightly to pull me up from the bed with one arm under my legs and the other supporting my shoulders. I gasped slightly at the sudden feeling of weightlessness but soon adjusted and smiled into Lexa's neck, amused by her bending of the rules. Technically she was not breaking her word to my mom by carrying me rather than letting me walk.

The two warriors at the door followed behind their Commander as we left the medical bay and I directed Lexa to where a spare room was located. It was only a short distance and the corridors were fairly empty, anyone who did happen to walk by was quick to avert their gaze when they glimpsed the imposing warriors and were directed a sharp glare from Lexa.

We soon arrived at an empty room and although small, it was still far better than staying at medical bay any longer. Lexa laid me down gently on the bed as the warriors shut the door and took up their positions outside.

'You see, nothing to worry about' Lexa told me with a smile, waiting for me to get comfy before perching on the edge of the bed once more. 'The chancellor won't be able to start an argument over this.'

'I don't think she'd dare' I chuckled; though they had shared angry words in the past I could tell that my mom was always wary of Lexa's unpredictable actions. Seeing as no rules had been technically broken she could hardly make a decent argument anyway, she didn't have to like it though.

The silence stretched on for a moment and I took a steadying breath, whilst Lexa had carried me through the corridors of the Ark I had glimpsed the early morning light shining through the narrow windows, I had unintentionally slept for the remainder of the night and it was now time to say goodbye.

'You'd best be off before you change your mind' I said lightly, wanting this to go as smoothly as possible, no need to make it harder than it needed to be. Lexa's expression hardened slightly and she pushed herself up from the bed to turn away from me.

'Lexa you need to go back to Polis' I insisted, sensing that she was having second thoughts about her departure.

'I know that Clarke' she said sharply in return, spinning back to face me with a swirl of her long jacket. 'But it doesn't stop me from wanting to stay here with you.'

I was left speechless for a moment, the pure emotion in her voice stealing my breath as I grasped desperately for something to say in return. I wanted the exact same thing, but we both knew the reality of the situation.

'I just wish it could be different' Lexa admitted softly, though we both knew there was little choice. As leaders we had responsibilities that couldn't be ignored no matter how much we wanted to.

'Mebi oso na hit choda op nodotaim' I said in farewell, the translation of _May we meet again _in Trigedasleng.

'We will' Lexa replied with certainty, leaning forwards to place a soft kiss on my lips before she stood to leave the room. Hesitating in the doorway she looked back at me for a second before disappearing from sight as she had a few days ago, and this time I let her go.

Once the door had shut firmly behind her, I collapsed back against the pillow at my back as I let the emotions that I had been supressing roll over me. Squeezing my eyes shut I told myself that she would be back in no time, once things had been sorted in Polis she would return without delay. I hoped that would be the case.

Still not fully recovered from my earlier nightmare I couldn't bring myself to return to sleep and instead stared up at the ceiling with thoughts of Lexa distracting me from any darker memories. It was hard to be separated from her so soon after being reunited but now I could only look forward to her return, however long that might be.

**_A big thankyou to everyone reading this story and sorry for the wait, I've been busy revising for exams recently so haven't had much chance to work on the chapter. _**

**_It's a bit shorter than usual but I wanted to get it up as soon as I could, hope you all like it. Next chapter will be up shortly, leave me a comment and let me know what you thought _****_J_**


	36. Chapter 36

I was hardly aware of time passing as I stared up at the ceiling, not allowing myself to sleep as I knew what horror would await me there. Lexa had most likely departed from camp by now, riding with her accompanying warriors to where her people awaited in Polis. My steady concentration was interrupted when my mom burst in unannounced, her mouth already moving rapidly as she lectured me on my inability to follow instructions and do as I was told.

Letting the sharp words flow over me I made no comment as she expressed her disapproval and returned my gaze to the ceiling once more. After realizing that her words were having no effect she finally fell silent, performing a quick check up before leaving once satisfied that my health was not deteriorating due to my change of location. Peace fell once more and I was on the verge of falling into a light sleep when there was a heavy knock on the door, my eyes flying open at the unexpected sound.

'Clarke? You want to tell your bodyguards to let me in?' Raven called out from the other side of the door.

'Let her pass' I told the warriors and a second later the door was pushed open and Raven entered holding a large tray.

'Well hello stranger' she greeted me with a large grin, 'I thought you might be hungry.'

She crossed the room and placed the tray down on the bed, filled with a variety of food that she must have collected from the canteen. Just looking at the food made me aware of how ravenous I was, not having eaten a proper meal in a long time.

I pushed myself up into a sitting position as Raven placed the tray on my lap and took a seat at the end of the bed. She then watched with amusement as I began to devour the food with barely a pause between bites.

'Sorry, this is the best food I've eaten in weeks' I apologised, making an effort to be somewhat more dignified in my manner of eating.

'Don't worry about it' she chuckled, pulling a face when I pulled the tray away from her reaching hand.

'Come on Clarke, you're not the one who's had to listen to Abby complaining about your inability to follow instructions for the past hour' she complained and she did have a point so I lowered the tray to let her grab what she wanted. There was more than enough food left, it seemed my mom was trying to feed me up.

'So what have I missed around here?' I asked as I continued to enjoy the food, listening intently as she told me about the attack on camp and all of the events that had unfolded in my absence.

'You should've seen Lexa fighting, I wouldn't want to get on her bad side any day of the week, especially not now that I've seen her wielding a sword like she did' Raven continued, clearly in admiration of the warriors impressive skills.

Even just the mention of her name had the smile falling from my lips in a matter of seconds, it was hard to believe that she had been here not a few hours ago, even harder to think about how long it might be until I see her again.

'She'll back in no time' Raven said after a beat of silence, my eyes flicking up from my lap in surprise.

'What?' I managed to say, a smile spreading across Raven's face at my confusion.

'Lexa, she'll be back before you know it' she reassured me, her smile widening when I continued to stare at her in silence. 'Well as nice as this catch up has been I actually have work that needs doing.'

She pulled herself up from the bed, reaching back to take the now empty tray from my lap.

'And don't hide away in here forever Clarke, your mom said that you can get up and about over the next few days but it's whenever you're ready. I know everyone's desperate to see you' she told me, hesitating in the doorway to look back at me. 'See you around, don't be a stranger.

I smiled and nodded in response, watching as she left the room and pulled the door shut behind her. It was strangely peaceful once she had left and it wasn't long before I found myself drifting off to sleep, still tired even after all of my resting.

I spent the next few days in my room, allowing my body the time it needed to rest after my ordeal. Most of the time I slept but sometimes it barely seemed like seconds had passed when I was ripped from my sleep, my breathing uneven from a forgotten nightmare. I supposed it was better that way. It took a few moments to recover from the memory and I decided to make good on my promise to Raven not to lock myself away from everyone. It had now been three days since she had visited and I could not hide away for much longer.

After a quick wash and change of clothes I limped down the corridor, my sprained ankle still bothering me and was surprised by how many people stopped upon seeing me and inquired after how I was. It almost seemed unreal and yet I fixed a smile on my face and told them all that I was doing well.

The words soon came automatically and I barely had to think as they spilled from my lips, the people reassured by it all the same. I was considering returning to my room just to escape the looks of sympathy from those that saw the collection of bruises that were only half hidden by my jacket and I pulled self consciously at the sleeves. As I was turning back I caught a familiar glimpse of short black hair at the end of the corridor, and began to make way towards the familiar figure.

Bellamy smiled when he saw me approaching and closed the distance between us to pull me into a quick hug, mindful of my healing injuries.

'It's good to see you Clarke' he said genuinely, taking a step back to look me over. It felt like such a long time since we had last seen each other.

'Yeah, you too' I replied, it had been some time since our trek down south and it was good to see a friendly face. We had been through a lot and I didn't need any automatic response when talking to any of my friends.

'Sorry to leave you so suddenly but I'm going to be late if I stay much longer' he apologised hastily after glancing down at his watch, continuing on down the corridor past me, only pausing when I called out to him.

'Where are you off too?' I asked, turning to face him, surprised by his sudden urgency.

'Scheduled training session with Lincoln' he said after a small, almost unnoticeable hesitation. 'I'll come and find you later' he assured me, flashing me a smile before continuing on down the corridor with long strides.

I watched him go with a frown, wondering if I had been imagining his odd behaviour. Maybe the training session had been part of his guard training, it was unlike him to be so worried about time management if it was just informal. Pushing thoughts of Bellamy away I decided not to dwell on it and moved further through the Ark to find the rest of my friends.

I was soon lacking in energy as each movement began to take more effort and exited out of the main door to take a seat on a bench outside. It was cooler out in the open air and it was nice to close my eyes briefly and savour the feeling of the breeze on my face.

A familiar voice drifted across the open space and I opened my eyes to see Lincoln stood over by the fence boundary, discussing something with one of the guards.

I wasn't surprised to see him in camp, he must've been part of the force that Lexa had assigned to aid the reconstruction of any damage inflicted upon the camp during the battle. I stood up from the bench and moved over to where he stood, the guard giving me a swift nod before leaving us to it.

'Clarke, it's good to see you up and about' Lincoln greeted me warmly, a smile growing on his face as I got closer. 'How are you?'

'I'm doing okay, getting there' I admitted, not bothering to give him the same rubbish about being fine that I had to all those other people. He would see straight through it in a second.

'I know it's not easy after everything that happened, but I wanted to thank you for bringing Cage's path of destruction to an end. I know that I speak for all of Trikru when I say that it was nothing less than what he deserved' he said sincerely, not wishing to stir up past memories but I accepted his thanks all the same.

I frowned at him as silence fell between us, remembering Bellamy's words from earlier.

'Is your training session with Bellamy over already?' I inquired, watching a frown form on Lincolns face as he shook his head slowly.

'I haven't had any training sessions today' he told me, 'and I haven't spoken to Bellamy for at least a few days now.'

We both shared a confused glance, none of the pieces adding up. Bellamy clearly wasn't at any training session so where was he?

'Clarke you're up! Glad to see you're listening to me' Raven called out as she approached us, her wide smile faltering when she saw our expressions. 'Woah, what's going on here?'

'Do you have any idea where Bellamy is?' Lincoln asked, both of us watching as Raven nodded immediately.

'Yeah, he's in that council meeting that Abby called, or it could've been Kane' Raven replied, her answer tailing off but it made little difference, that was all the information I needed. Raven asked what was going on as I moved past her back to the Ark but I didn't reply, knowing that Lincoln would fill her in.

I didn't need to go very far before I saw Bellamy coming up the corridor towards me, a few of the Ark guards not far behind. It looked like the meeting had just finished.

'Clarke I-' he began, slightly taken aback when I abruptly cut him off.

'How was your training session?' I inquired pointedly, watching realisation cross his face as he sighed at the question.

'I see you've spoken to Lincoln' he began, thinking carefully about how best to phrase his words. 'It wasn't with bad intent that I didn't tell you about the meeting.'

'Like hell it wasn't! Why not just tell me the truth to begin with?' I countered, not quite understanding what his motive had been for lying in the first place.

'You only just got back to camp, I wanted to give you some time to readjust and there was nothing urgent that required your presence' he told me. That just made me even more furious, it was true that I had been through an ordeal recently but it was not something that I wanted to be used against me. It was a load of rubbish and we both knew it.

'It's not my attendance to the meeting that I'm bothered about, it's the fact you lied straight to my face about it' I bit back, both of us now getting more wound up with each passing second.

'It was just about plans to make some improvements to the camp, you didn't need to be there so just let it go' he snapped, running out of patience with the whole argument. He wasn't the only one.

'If it was just a regular meeting then why not just tell me where you were going rather than make up some rubbish about a training session?' I threw back, exasperated by his inability to grasp what I was getting at.

'Let's be honest Clarke, you haven't been here for a long time now. Not just because of your capture but before that when you were far more content to move in with the Grounders and fill your head with some delusion of power than stay here with your own people. Matters at this camp stopped concerning you a long time ago and that won't be changing any time soon' he informed me sharply, anger flashing across his features as I continued to push him for a further explanation.

This rant had been entirely off topic, he had apparently mistaken my anger at being lied to for fury at not being included in the meeting. I was ready to tell him exactly what I thought of his petty behaviour when Kane approached us from the same direction Bellamy had appeared from, seemingly the last one to leave the meeting.

'Everything okay here?' he asked us, eyes flicking between our tense postures.

'No problem here sir' Bellamy finally responded after a moments silence, maintaining direct eye contact with me before excusing himself and brushing past me down the corridor. I didn't bother to watch him go, instead making an effort to relax my stance when Kane's gaze drifted back to me.

'I see you're settling back in nicely' he said with a hint of a smile, thankfully not commenting further on what he had just witnessed. 'I believe your friends are planning some drinks tonight in honour of your return, it would be nice of you to attend.'

I nodded my head reluctantly at the request, it wasn't all that appealing at the moment but I could hardly refuse when it was for me.

'I'm glad to hear it, see you there Clarke' he said, smiling again before moving past me and continuing on down the corridor at an unhurried pace.

I returned to my room soon after, not having the energy for any more interactions. The conflict with Bellamy had not been resolved as quickly as I would've hoped, not that I was in any mood to discuss it with him further any time soon. For now I informed the warriors outside the door that I was not to be disturbed under any circumstance and sank down onto the bed to enjoy a few hours of peace to think things through.

My injuries were were becoming less bearable with each minute and I took a few pain relief tablets with a swig of water to ease the pain as I lay in a peaceful silence.

I was more than happy to stay in here for the rest of the night but I remembered my agreement to join the others for a few drinks, it would be rude of me not to attend. Pulling myself up with a sigh I decided to join them for a while to see how everyone was, I could always make my excuses to leave if I wasn't feeling up to it.

Emerging from the Ark I headed for the area around the side where a number of small tables had been set up for social gatherings. Many of the Ark guards tended to use this space to relax with their co-workers after a long shift; I saw a number of them reclining on the chairs in small groups as I got closer.

A couple of tables had been pushed together and my friends were gathered around it, already hooting with laughter as the drinks flowed freely. Raven was the first to spot me approaching and waved me over with a large grin, pulling out a vacant chair for me which I gratefully sank into. My leg was playing me up and it was a relief to be able to take the weight off it.

I was almost immediately pulled into a rather amusing conversation with Miller, Harper and Monty who were sat to my left, astounding me with how relaxed everyone was. It was only recently that we had been on high alert over Panther attacks and the threat from the Reapers. It was almost unreal to see everyone engaging in normal conversation and jokes when we had only just pulled through a battle. It was something that I was going to have to adapt to, unable to relax quite so easily as my friends could.

Bellamy sat just down from me on the opposite table, unusually quiet as he made an effort not to make eye contact, neither of us ready for conversation after how things had gone earlier. I turned down Ravens offer to get me a drink, repeatedly in fact as she continued to try and persuade me to join in with the celebrations. It seemed we were not only celebrating my return but all recent successes of winning the battle against the Reapers, any excuse for more drinks.

People began to slowly trickle away after a while, some having to be up early the next morning for guard duty, others stumbling to their rooms for a much needed sleep. It was getting late and things were beginning to quieten down when someone approached my table and I glanced up to see Bellamy stood in front of me, two cups in his hand.

'Peace offering' he said, holding out one of the cups to me. I hesitated for a second before reaching out and taking it from him, it was a start. 'I'm sorry about earlier, I said some things that I shouldn't have.'

His apology was sincere and I gestured for him to take a seat, I would not be forgetting our argument so soon but there was no need for any more conflicts tonight.

'To your return and the camps safety' he said, tipping his cup towards me and I raised mine in return, both of us then taking a sip of the alcohol. Octavia slipped onto the seat beside her brother as we set the drinks down, glancing between us as she placed her sword on the table, I doubted she ever went anywhere without it.

'You two kissed and made up yet?' she inquired, smirking when Bellamy shot her a dark look. 'Well it's about time, I couldn't stand to see him sulking for much longer.'

I smiled at that, Bellamy muttering a few insults at his sister before standing and excusing himself as he had guard duty that night and needed to change. Octavia laughed at whatever her brother had said, a sound I hadn't heard in some time and found myself smiling in return.

'Welcome home' she said, draining her cup before moving off to find Lincoln by the fire. Her words struck me as odd, things had changed since I had last been here, Bellamy's earlier words echoing in my thoughts. I had spent most of my time in the Grounder camp before my capture whether it had been to aid them in wiping out the Panthers or for other reasons and it made me wonder if I truly did fit in here anymore.

I rose from my seat and stretched for a moment, my muscles having cramped after being sat in the same place for so long. After wishing my friends a good night I left those that remained outside and headed back to my own room, leaving the rest of my drink on the table. Could it be that the camp was truly in a state of peace for once? It seemed almost impossible after the recent events and I was not about to believe it too soon.  
-

For the next few weeks I focused on recovering from my capture, ensuring that all of my injuries continued to heal which they did. My bruises were soon barely visible and it wasn't long before my limp disappeared completely and my movements became less rigid. There was little to do around camp as most repairs had been completed, Raven had the electric fence working once more and for once there was no enemy to plan for.

It would have been useful to practise my sword skills after such a long time but the one Lexa had given to me so many months ago had been taken from me when I had been captured. One of the Grounders had offered theirs for me to use but it had not compared to the light weight handling of what I was used to.

This left me with few options and there was little opportunity to distract myself from the thought of Lexa's return which was constantly on my mind. With every day that passed I became more and more agitated, less prone to spending my time with those around me than pacing my room working out how much longer she would be gone for. I had sent the two warriors that Lexa had told to remain with me back to TonDc, they weren't needed for anything here.

It was as if the camp was becoming more confined as the time passed, I missed the days out in the forest practising sword skills with the commander or improving my hunting techniques. The residents of Camp Jaha had been used to the limitations of the camp boundary but I just felt trapped.

It had been almost two weeks since Lexa had left for camp Jaha and I was emerging from my room one morning as Miller was coming down the corridor towards me.

'Just the person I was looking for, you've got visitors at the gate' he told me, continuing to talk but the rest of his words fell on deaf ears as hope rose in my chest. His words trailed off when I slipped past him and hurried along the corridor, almost colliding with my mom who was coming in the opposite direction. She opened her mouth to speak but I quickly swept past her, nothing was going to hold me up.

I emerged from the Ark and headed straight for the gate, first noticing the two Grounders that were ushered inside by the guards. My eyes flicked past them as the gate closed at their backs and disappointment crushed any hope that had been present. It was just the two of them, they were alone. Taking a steadying breath as the two warriors approached, I tried not to show the crumbling that I felt on the inside.

'Clarke Griffin, the commander has a message for you' one of them addressed me, and I nodded for him to continue. I had not seen either of them before and assumed that they usually resided in Polis rather than TonDc.

Rather than reciting the message as I had expected, the warrior reached into his jacket and pulled free a small scroll of paper bound with the Commanders symbol. I reached out to grasp it with a shaking hand, turning the paper in my hands as Kane approached us.

'You are most welcome to stay for as long as you want before making the return journey, we can supply you with any provisions you might need' he offered them, the larger man grunting in thanks but declined, they would only remain for a short rest before setting off once more.

Kane followed after them as they returned to their horses and I retraced my steps back into the Ark once more, not noticing my mom approaching until she spoke.

'Clarke' she began and my gaze flashed up from the scroll of paper to see her walking towards me, her steps unhurried as she neared.

'What is it?' I asked impatiently, wondering what could be so important for her to keep following me all around the place. She was taken aback for a moment by the harsh tone of my voice, not having anticipated such such an icy response.

'I just wanted to let you know that I'm holding a meeting tomorrow and thought you might like to attend, Bellamy told me what happened a few weeks ago' she told me, her eyes drifting down to the scroll but she made no comment.

'Of course he did' I scoffed, moving past her to continue down the corridor. Right now I just wanted to go to my room and see what message Lexa had sent me. It was nothing against my mom, I just didn't want to waste time talking right now.

'Clarke' my mom called after me and I reluctantly stopped to look over my shoulder at her. 'We're all here for you, don't shut us out.'

'Thanks' I said in response, not sure what else I could say, giving her a small smile before moving towards the sleeping quarters of the Ark, thankfully without any further interruptions. Shutting the door firmly behind me I sat on the edge of my bed for a few moments before gently undoing the scroll and revealing the handwritten words on the paper.

_Clarke_

_There is no time for any explanations but I am afraid matters in Polis are far worse than I had anticipated. It seems that my presence here is required for an extended period of time._

_I will return to you when everything here has been resolved though how long this will be I cannot say. For now stay safe and I will see you soon._

_Lexa_

I reread the message several times over, finally placing it down beside me as I let it sink in. For all I knew it could be weeks until she was back, possibly even longer. Just the thought was bad enough and I knew that I could not wait around here any longer. Rising to my feet I grabbed a change of clothes and shoved them swiftly into a backpack, pulling it onto my shoulder as I holstered my gun. I then rushed from my room in the hope of catching the warriors before they left and was fortunate to find them preparing to depart by the front gate.

Bellamy stood in his uniform nearby, ready to instruct the guards to open the gates. Octavia stood at his side, the two of them talking quietly to each other as they waited for the warriors signal that they were ready to leave.

'Hod op!' I called out as the first warrior was about to mount his horse, the four of them turning to face me in surprise.

'Clarke? What is this?' Bellamy inquired as I came to a stop in front of them but I ignored him and focused on the warriors instead.

'I'm coming with you back to Polis' I told them, not sure how they would take such a direct statement but I did not want to risk being refused. Bellamy sputtered in protest as they shared a quick glance, neither of them thinking of any immediate objections to the proposal.

'We only have these two horses, I'll go and retrieve another for you to ride' the warrior told me, making his way to the side of the Ark where a few of the horses were being kept. They belonged to the warriors who had remained at camp to help with repairs but seeing as a large number of them would be returning to TonDc on foot anyway it made little difference to them.

'Clarke you can't just ride off in the middle of the night' Bellamy objected but was quickly hushed by Octavia.

'Will you stop telling her what she has to do, it's her decision' she said in my defence, understanding just how hard it was to fit back into life at camp after spending long amounts of time with the Grounders. To my surprise Bellamy seemed to listen to his sister, relaxing his stance and collecting himself for a moment.

'Are you sure about this?' he asked in a calmer tone, his eyes pleading for me to give him the slightest reason to keep me from going.

'Certain' I told him firmly, holding his gaze for a few moments before the Grounder returned with a horse for me. I wasted no time and pulled myself up onto it's back, looking down to where Bellamy stood frowning as the Grounders also jumped up onto their horses.

'Open the gates' he called out reluctantly and the guards did as he said, swinging them back to allow us through.

'Thankyou' I said to him, nodding in thanks to Octavia as the Grounders led the way out into the night. 'Tell my mom not to worry.'

She would regardless, she continued to tell me it was part of being a mother but she didn't need to. It probably wasn't the best idea to ride off in the middle of the night as Bellamy had said earlier but I knew that she would've attempted to stop me if I'd waited any longer.

Octavia assured me she would and I said goodbye a final time as I followed the warriors out of camp and towards the forest. I had no idea where Polis was located but I trusted that they would get me there safely. No matter how long the journey took it would be bearable because I knew that I would see Lexa at the end of it.

_**A bit longer than I had planned but hope you all like it, I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon I can :)**_

_**Feel free to leave any comments and tell me what you thought**_


	37. Chapter 37

I let my mind wander as we steadily rose up through the tower in Polis. The two warriors stood either side of me, their eyes fixed straight ahead as they maintained their usual silence. The journey from camp Jaha had taken a few days and they had rarely spoken more than a few words at a time unless strictly necessary. Most of our time had been spent on horseback with little opportunity to talk, riding through each day to stop just before nightfall to set up camp.

On the third day I had spotted the iconic tower of Polis in the distance from where we halted at the top of a raised section of land. I had questioned one of the warriors about the structure but had merely received a single nod when I had asked if that was our destination. We were soon moving again and after the days of silent travel it was a relief to know that we were close to capitol.

I was mildly surprised when I was led away from the main path and through a network of tunnels that seemed to be a separate access point to the city as opposed to the main entrance. I knew better than to question the warrior's decisions and followed silently. Only at the end of the tunnel did one warrior tell me to stay put, continuing on to the exit whilst the other grounder waited by my side. My questions were once again met with more silence and I had no choice but to wait impatiently for the warrior to return, a piece of material gripped in his hand when he did.

He held the material out and told me to put it on, not intending to go any further until I had done so. After a small hesitation I took the hood from him and within a few seconds had it wrapped around my neck and hanging loosely over my head, concealing the majority of my face. Soon after the two warriors took positions on either side of me and with a gruff instruction to keep my head down they escorted me out of the dim tunnel and into the early morning light.

There was little to see with the hood in place, my surroundings unknown as the warriors at my side set a quick pace across what I assumed was some kind of courtyard from the cobbled stones underfoot.

My thoughts snapped back to the present when the elevator jolted beneath us and slowly drew to a halt. It seemed we had finally reached our destination. I soon forgot about my recent journey when it dawned on me just how close I was to seeing Lexa again, my weariness ebbing away to be replaced with anticipation. I wondered how she would react, would she have wanted me to come to Polis? She did ask all those months ago, before we had attacked the mountain and I assumed her offer still stood. I could only hope that I had made the right choice; there was no turning back now.

The elevator shuddered to a stop and the doors slid open, the two guards staying on either side of me as they escorted me down a corridor towards a set of doors. They walked me right up to double doors before taking place outside before knocking firmly on the frame to announce our presence.

My heart fluttered when I heard Lexa call out to enter, though I noted the hint of annoyance that clipped her tone. She was clearly under a lot of pressure from what she had said in her note and I was reluctant to disturb her at such a time but it didn't look like there were many alternative options.

The warriors complied by pushing open the doors and gestured for me to enter, pulling them shut once more behind me. Lexa did not look up as I entered; focused instead on a discussion she was having with Indra in a hushed tone. Indra glanced over to identify who had entered and her words trailed off when she saw who was stood uncertainly by the door.

Lexa frowned when the warrior fell silent, her eyes flicking up to see what had caught her interest and finally her gaze fell on me.

'Clarke?' she breathed softly, her voice barely audible even in the sudden quiet that had fallen over the room. The soft tone betrayed her appearance, dressed up in her customary battle gear, her eyes dark with war paint, a red sash flowing from her left shoulder over the buckles and straps of her armour.

'I will go and speak to the warriors' Indra sighed, neither of us hearing or caring as the warrior took her leave and the door clicked shut behind her. Lexa continued to stare at me in surprise for a moment before shaking herself out of the trance, taking small steps towards me.

'I'm sorry to intrude like this...' I apologised weakly, not feeling particularly sorry now that I was in her presence once more. I assumed she was in the middle of something but in that moment it didn't seem to matter to either of us. 'I know I probably look a mess but it's been a long journey.'

Lexa waved away my apologies and stopped in front of me, bringing her hands up to lightly place on my face, as if I might disappear in an instant.

'I'm just glad you're okay,' she told me, and I felt myself instinctively melting at her touch, drawing us closer together until our foreheads were almost touching. I closed my eyes briefly as we both took a moment to just enjoy each other's presence, after weeks apart it filled me with a feeling of belonging that I hadn't felt in a long time.

A similar glimmer passed across Lexa's face but all too soon she pulled back and began to turn away, her hands dropping to her sides as a conflicted expression replaced any previous happiness that had been present.

'You should not be here Clarke,' she said quietly, bewildering me with the sudden change in character.

'What do you mean?' I asked her, watching the range of emotions flicking across her face and remembered the words from her message. _Matters in Polis are far worse than I had anticipated. _'What's going on?'

'There is no time for explanations now,' she replied briefly 'I have a meeting to attend in a few minutes. We will have to speak afterwards.'

That explained what she was wearing, I assumed it was an important meeting for such formalities. Her mask of detachment was now firmly in place, ready to face whatever issues had arisen in the capitol. It seemed my arrival had thrown her somewhat of balance.

She barely gave me a moment to react to her words before she swept past me, already leaving through the doors behind me and I heard her inform the guards that no-one was to enter or leave until she returned, it didn't look like I had much choice in the matter.

The voices outside the room fell silent and for the first time I was truly aware of my surroundings, having previously focused on nothing but the Commander, unable to fully appreciate the beauty of the room.

It was fair size with a large bed situated off to my right with a couch and chair positioned in the middle of the room, the area lit by dozens of softly flickering candles. There was a large open window at the back of the room, almost entirely covered by a flowing curtain that still allowed the daylight to shine through. It was only when I truly looked at the fur covered bed that it hit me that this was Lexa's private quarters and I pulled my eyes respectfully back to centre of the room, deciding to take a seat in the cream chair which turned out to be surprisingly comfy.

I rested my head back against the material and realised just how tired I was after the long journey on horseback but none of that had mattered when I had finally laid eyes on Lexa again. Even after only a few weeks her absence had become unbearable, prompting my hasty departure from Camp Jaha to travel to Polis.

In the short term it had made perfect sense but now that I was here, and after Lexa's reaction to my arrival I was beginning to have doubts about the whole thing. Had this truly been the best plan? Pushing any negative thoughts away I refused to contemplate on the issue further until I had spoken to Lexa about it, though her reaction had confused me at first, now I was intent on discovering the nature of the problems that she now faced and if the Skaikru were at all involved.

My mind wandered through all of the possible issues that may have arisen over the last few months but nothing I could think of made any sense and my tiredness soon began to overcome my desire to remain awake and I felt my eyes drifting shut in the peaceful quiet that the room provided.

The moment was quickly over when heavy footfalls sounded from the corridor outside, swiftly followed by the click of the handle turning as the handle turned and a rather disgruntled Commander entered. I bolted upright in the chair as the door closed behind her, my sleepiness soon fading as I briefly wondered whether I should stand though thankfully Lexa hardly seemed to notice or be bothered by my casual behaviour in her room.

'How was the meeting?' I inquired after a moment when she remained silent, watching closely as she went about unbuckling the sash from her shoulder and draping it without thought over the furs of her bed before proceeding to remove the shoulder guard with sharp tugs. She was clearly agitated by whatever had occurred at the meeting and hoped that my words did not incite further anger. I had no reason to worry as once the protective gear had been removed and her initial anger had resided I saw some sense of normality return to her features.

'It didn't go quite as well as I had hoped' she finally admitted, glancing over at me for the first time since entering the room and I saw just how tense she was, a frown etched onto her expression that said more than words could provide.

I was eager to inquire further about the nature of the meeting but I bit back my questions for the time being, she hardly looked ready to recite what had just occurred.

'I apologize for my hasty departure earlier, I was not expecting your arrival' she said lightly, the ghost of a smile playing on her lips and I decided to save the questions for later. 'You have had a long journey and it is rude of me to keep you sitting here.'

I stood from the chair and moved closer to where she stood, shaking my head at her words.

'It's fine Lexa, it's you I'm worried about' I told her, seeing the weight of Commander settling heavy on her shoulders. 'Is there anything I can do to help?'

'Do not worry for me Clarke' she replied, looking down at my dishevelled clothes as she spoke. 'There are matters that we must soon discuss but for now I have had a room prepared for you to reside in, take time to clean yourself up and then we can discuss everything in length over some food.'

She called for her guards as I thanked her, instructing them to take me to my room. They quickly held the door open for me and I followed obligingly, casting a quick look over at my shoulder to where Lexa stood before the door shut and she was lost from sight.

I was more concerned about matters after her initial response to the meeting and it was clear that whatever the issue was it was causing Lexa a great deal of stress which I hoped to aid with. For the moment I followed the warrior along the short corridor and after a short trip in the escalator we reached the floor below Lexa's and I was led to a door which I pushed open to reveal a room almost equal in size to Lexa's with a similar style layout. There were two chairs in the middle of the room and a large bed just off to the side, a large window allowing beautiful views out across the surrounding landscape. I had not expected such luxurious accommodation and silently promised to thank Lexa later.

A knock on the door sounded and a handmaiden entered upon my request, barely saying a word as she proceeded to fill a tub with hot water for me to bathe in, bowing her head once she had finished before hurrying out of the room. I pulled myself away from admiring the large room and quickly stripped out of my dishevelled clothes and sank gratefully into the blissfully hot water. My aches from the past few days' horse riding were soon eased and I allowed the heat to cleanse any doubts that I may have been harbouring.

Tempted to remain in the water a while longer I made a point to wash myself down quickly and rinse my hair through before emerging from the tub, not wanting to keep Lexa waiting any longer than necessary. A light gown had been placed on my bed and I slipped into it after quickly drying myself down, then looking around for what I was to wear. My old clothes were lying in a heap on the ground which I had no intention of getting back into and I soon located a wooden structure which opened to reveal a range of outfits that Lexa must have had placed there for my choosing.

I gazed over the clothes in admiration, reaching out a hand to run across the materials. Moving past the collection of robes and layered dresses, I was instantly drawn to the more familiar section of shirts and jackets, pulling out one of the charcoal grey tops to inspect it closer. It was light in my grip and I slipped it on to find that it was the perfect size, snuggly fitting without hanging loose or causing any discomfort through tightness.

I pulled on a pair of dark jeans that I found in the drawer below, feeling better almost immediately to be in fresh, clean clothing. My hair was still damp and fell freely down my back, not wanting to waste any time making it look more presentable. Slipping on a pair of black ankle boots I took one final look at myself in the mirror leaning up against the far wall, satisfied with my appearance in the slightly dull surface. Making a few final adjustments I decided against a jacket, taking my leave from the room to find a guard waiting outside my door.

He didn't say a word as he led me down the corridor, making a sharp right turn into a separate room, holding the door open and informing me that Lexa would soon join me as I passed inside. My mouth almost dropped open at the sight of the ridiculous amount of food piled onto the entire length of the central table as I moved further into the room, taking a closer look at the huge variety. There was nothing like this to be found at camp Jaha, the food on rations to ensure that there were no shortages. Most of the food I recognised though a lot was completely new to me; just the sight of the meal reminded me how hungry I actually was after the long journey. So caught up in admiring the meal in front of me I wasn't aware of Lexa entering quietly, suppressing a smile at my expression.

'I hope you haven't been waiting long,' she said to announce her presence, my head turning to see her stood in the doorway, dressed far more casually than I had ever seen. Her formal armour had been replaced with a light top that exposed her shoulders, the material looping around the back of her neck. Her braids remained in place but the fierce war paint had been removed to reveal a softer side of the Commander that I had not seen before.

'Uh no, not long' I finally said in reply, grasping for words momentarily as I took in her appearance. She also looked me over approvingly and made a comment about the clothes which I had been supplied with to which I mumbled my thanks, watching her move past me to the end of the table where she took a seat. Shaking my head to clear the haze that had seemed to settle I followed suit and lowered myself into the vacant seat just down from Lexa's, silently chiding myself for such obvious lack of focus. _Get it together Clarke._

'Will there be a small army joining us?' I joked, trying to recover from my momentary lapse in concentration. Lexa's lips twitched at the comment as she cast her gaze over the vast array of food before us.

'My manners earlier were far from acceptable and for that I apologise. I was unsure what food you would prefer and after your long journey you must be hungry' she replied, insisting that I take however much I desired. Only once Lexa had slipped a few slices of freshly cooked meat onto her plate did I begin to take my share. Within minutes my plate was piled high with a variety of fruits, bread and slices of meat.

'What do you think of your room?' Lexa inquired as she took a sip of wine from her cup, placing it gently back down on the table as she awaited my reply.

'It's incredible, thank you' I told her sincerely, flashing a quick smile as I ripped off a chunk of the fresh bread. Lexa inclined her head slightly in response, both of us falling into a comfortable silence as we enjoyed the food. Soon my hunger began to diminish and I settled back in my chair, feeling more content with a full stomach.

Lexa had already finished her meal and I looked across to see her eyes focused on me, an unreadable expression on her face.

'How was your meeting earlier?' I asked tentatively when she turned her face away, not wanting to ruin the calm of the moment but still curious to know.

'It did not go as smoothly as I had hoped' she replied after a moment but she had said as much earlier. I remained silent in the hope that she would continue, sensing that she was holding something back.

'There seems to be some unrest between the clans' she began after a small sigh, her previous frown forming on her face again. 'Mostly due to the Ice Nation.'

Her voice seemed to darken at the mention of the clan and I remembered her story from some time ago about what they had done to Costia. Lexa lapsed into silence for a moment, hesitating as if uncertain how to continue and it only made me more curious as to what this concerned. I picked up my fork and used it to claim another slice of meat from the plate in front of me, waiting patiently for Lexa to gather her thoughts.

'It seems that many of my people have been convinced by the Ice Nation that Skaikru are to be considered a threat,' she admitted softly, her gaze fixed on the table as a feeling of pure dread swept through me. My fork stopped in mid-air at her words, my appetite lost as I waited for what was to come next.

'They are demanding that the twelve armies march on the Skaikru camp and wipe out the threat entirely.'

My breath caught in my throat at the sentence, my fork clattering to the table as it fell from my grip. It took me a few moments to process the words and as I did a familiar anger began to burn in my chest.

'Are you serious?' I breathed, Lexa's eyes flicking up to mine as she sensed the anger rising within me.

'I would not joke about such things, many clans feel that the Skaikru weapons will turn to us now that we no longer have a common enemy,' she explained.

'Then what are we doing sat here making small talk over a meal? I've been here for hours and you only think to tell me this now?' I hissed through clenched teeth.

'There will be no further meetings on the matter for at least a few days so telling you earlier would not have made any difference, it seemed more appropriate to allow you to clean up after your journey and eat a proper meal,' she told me calmly, keeping her voice steady as she refused to be provoked by my outburst. Her calm demeanour only infuriated me further; this was the safety of my people that we were talking about.

'You should have told me the second I arrived,' I countered bluntly, not swaying from my argument. Despite my dislike of the way Lexa had handled the situation I now wanted to make some kind of plan, preventative measures to ensure that my people came to no harm.

'Well what are we going to do about it?' I finally responded after releasing a long breath, attempting to push my anger down in favour for a more open minded approach.

'It's a matter of what I'm going to do about it,' she said impassively, her voice devoid of any emotion as she spoke. 'You are leaving at sunrise tomorrow.'

The sound of wood scraping along the floor filled the room as I rose to my feet, pushing my chair back as I did.

'You can't be serious?' I asked, my hands gripping the table tightly as I met Lexa's impassive stare and I realised that was exactly what she was.

'I will not argue with you over this Clarke' she informed me, also rising to her feet to stand directly opposite me.

'I'm not going anywhere, not when there is the threat of a war looming!'

'That is precisely why you will be leaving,' she said in response, biting back her own anger at my refusal to cooperate. 'Your people are in no imminent danger, on that I give you my word. I will convince the clans to reconsider and in the meantime you will return safe to your camp.'

'I am not going anywhere,' I repeated firmly, knowing that matters were not going to be solved just by asking nicely. When she made no comment in response I turned away in frustration, pushing away from the table.

'You have to stop doing this Lexa' I growled, fighting the urge to pace the room.

'Doing what?' she snapped, her eyes narrowing at my tone.

'Pushing me away, cutting me off when things get dangerous!'

'Please Clarke, it is the only way for you to be safe' she pleaded, her blank expression falling away and I faltered at the sudden change in composure. 'I can't bear to see you hurt again, not after...'

She fell silent rather than bring up the subject of my capture, taking a step away from the table and towards where I stood.

'I just don't want to put you in any danger' she said softly, no longer trying to mask her emotions behind indifference.

'And I understand that but we can work through this without further bloodshed...together,' I suggested, not breaking eye contact as I tried to express just how important I felt it was that I stay in the capitol.

She seemed to consider my words for a few moments and I could only hope that she would be persuaded to reconsider. A light knock sounded on the door behind me before it cracked open and I turned to look over my shoulder at whoever had interrupted us.

'Heda, Titus wishes to speak to you in the throne room,' Indra said from where she remained outside the room. I had not heard the name before but the flash of irritation that crossed Lexa's face when I looked back at her told me that this was not a conversation she would be looking forward to.

'I should go and see what this is about, I will have a guard escort you back to your room when you are ready,' Lexa told me, following Indra out of the room and gently pulling the door shut behind her.

I looked over at the mass of food that still remained on the table, thinking back to how pleasantly the meal had started, not that it had lasted long. Our conversation had not exactly been resolved and now I was left wondering if Lexa would actually have me escorted from the capitol the next morning. After the recent news regarding the Ice nation I was in no mood to resume eating and returned to my seat with a sigh. My irritation at not being told about this at the earliest opportunity still lingered but for now I was more concerned with the prospect of having to leave Polis the next morning if Lexa did not have a change of heart. I knew that her reasoning was to keep me safe which I could not fault but if we wanted to avoid a war then I needed to be here in the capitol to help her diffuse the situation. There was nothing that we couldn't sort out together, even if it meant that I faced some danger in the meantime.

Taking a final sip of wine from the cup, I rose from the table and left the room to find the guards waiting in the corridor, not saying a word as they took positions at my back to escort me back to my room. They took their places at either side of the door as it shut behind me, something I would most likely have to start getting used to if Lexa agreed that I should stay.

Moving over to the window on the far side of the room I looked down over the clutter of small stalls and figures that were barely visible so far down, small specks at such a distance. This soon gave way to the vivid green of the vast forest that surrounded the city. It was certainly a beautiful sight and I hoped to explore the city once everything had settled down. The light was beginning to fade when I heard the door to my room open and I turned to see Lexa enter, stopping in the centre of the room, hands clasped in front of her.

'Anything important?' I inquired, holding back any further questions when she shook her head in response, not willing to disclose any information over what she had discussed with Titus. It seemed that she was not here to talk business.

'I wanted to give you something,' she began; my curiosity peaked as I took a step towards her, waiting for her to continue. 'I was going to bring this back to camp Jaha when I returned though seeing as you came to me there is little point in waiting.'

I watched as a warrior entered at a small gesture from the commander, passing her an item wrapped in cloth which she in turn held out towards me. I glanced down at the object in her hand as I moved closer, taking it gently from her grip.

She watched expectantly as I pulled back the cloth to reveal a leather bound book, intricately designed with elaborate marks that coiled around onto the back cover. It was beautiful and I was taken aback by the gift, wondering how Lexa had known about my love of art.

'You once mentioned how you loved to draw Earth whilst you were on the Ark and I thought you could use some drawing material, there are charcoals for you to use whenever you wish' she explained when I sent her a questioning look.

'Thank you' I said softly, already thinking on how I was going to fill up all of the blank pages in any spare time I might have.

'I'm glad you like it' she replied, a smile lifting her lips at my reaction. A sudden thought hit me as I turned the book over in my hands, lifting my gaze to Lexa's as I did.

'Does this mean what I think it does?'

'I have decided that you will remain in Polis as my guest, I will make it clear that you are under my protection and we will find a way to deal with the growing unrest towards Skaikru...together,' she finished, mimicking my earlier words as my smile grew even larger and I glanced back down at the gift.

She moved even closer and I barely had a moment to lift my eyes from the book when she leant forwards to capture my lips with hers, raising a gentle hand to the side of my face.

'What was that for?' I whispered when we broke apart, almost hypnotised by the gentle green eyes that held my entire focus.

'That was to make up for my lack of hospitality earlier' she replied, pulling back for too soon for my liking and gracing me with a broad smile as she went to leave, pausing at the door to look back at me. 'Welcome to Polis.'

A second later she was gone, the door closing with a soft click as I stared at the spot she had previously occupied, frozen for a moment before letting out a long breath. How she had such an effect on me I would never know but it looked like I had plenty of time to find out. The book was still gripped tightly in my hand and I laid it down gently on the table, already thinking ahead to next few weeks. No matter what problems we encountered here in Polis I knew that we would sort through them together, and any doubts that I'd had about my decision to take off from camp Jaha so suddenly had completely disappeared, this was where I was meant to be.

**Thank you for continuing to read the story and for your patience, all of your comments are appreciated! **

**Leave a comment and tell me what you thought :)**


	38. Chapter 38

During my entire stay on the ground I could not remember a single moment when I had slept as well as I had last night. Despite the recent news regarding the unrest in Polis, all thought of what was to come slipped away as I fell into a deep slumber enveloped by the fur quilt that was draped over me. My peaceful sleep was only broken when a sharp clatter sounded from nearby and I groggily cracked my eyes open to see a blurry figure, my hand instinctively grasping for the knife that I had placed as an afterthought under my pillow the previous night.

My grip on the weapon relaxed when my vision cleared and I saw the handmaiden bending to pick up the tray that had fallen from the table. She bowed her head when she saw that I was awake, mumbling apologies for disturbing my rest.

'What are you doing?' I questioned the girl, relaxing now that there was no threat of attack.

'Heda told me to prepare breakfast for when you woke, she has business to attend and won't be able to join you' she explained, clasping her hands in front of her as she spoke. 'I will leave you to change and eat.'

I watched her leave before hauling myself out of the warm bed and pulled on some trousers and a plain shirt before sitting down with a plate of food on my lap. I was still rather full from the meal the previous day so did not eat huge amounts, taking my time as I considered what I was to do for the day.

The handmaiden soon returned to clear the table and I asked her if I would be able to go out and explore the city. If Lexa was busy then I had to find something to occupy my day with.

'Heda made her orders clear that you are not to leave the tower until after the meeting tomorrow, anything you require in the meantime is to be delivered to you upon request.'

It was not what I wanted to hear but I could occupy myself for a day or two until this meeting took place.

'What's your name?' I inquired, curious to know more about the girl.

'Kyla,' she told me after a slight hesitation, seemingly surprised that I bothered to ask.

'Why don't you sit and tell me what the city is like?' I suggested, time would pass far quicker with someone to speak to.

'I apologise Wanheda but I have some other duties that I must first attend,' she explained, pausing for a moment as she considered my words. 'Perhaps later if that suits you?'

I nodded eagerly, telling her to come by whenever she was free. With a final nod she departed and left me to do as I pleased, not that there were many options. For a while I merely stood by the window and gazed out over the view, hoping to find some inspiration to start off some drawings of the city but I felt no such desire.

With a sigh I went out to inform my guards that I wished to be supplied with some of the charcoal that Lexa had mentioned the day before and within the hour a small package was delivered to my room and I settled down with my new sketch book.

I stared down at the blank page and thought of all the wonderful drawings that I could create but I lacked the enthusiasm to start. On the Ark I had drawn Earth and what I pictured it to be like, but now that I was here it was even more spectacular then I could've imagined.

Kyla's arrival saved me from the blank white page and I called for her to enter, watching as she walked over to stand by my chair. She seemed somewhat nervous and I gestured for her to take a seat, waiting until she had perched on the chair opposite before speaking.

'You don't have to be so tense,' I said gently, placing the sketchbook down as I noted her stiff posture and clasped hands.

'Apologies Wanheda,' she said quietly and made a clear effort to ease back into the chair somewhat. I had heard the title a few times since my arrival in the capitol and I was always left wondering what it meant.

'You do not know? I assumed Lexa had told you,' she said when I inquired as to the meaning of the word. 'Wanheda is how a lot of warriors now address you, not long after Skaikru landed 300 warriors lost their lives under your watch, followed by the merciful death of your lover. There was then your aid in the defeat of the mountain which many will not forget any time soon. You took on numerable Reapers and mountain men before your capture and succeeded in taking down the mountain leader and still you live to tell the tales.'

I listened closely as she spoke, frowning as I tried to understand what all of it meant.

'Wanheda literally translates as _Commander of Death_, it seems your reputation precedes you' she finished, speaking freely as she gazed at me in something akin to awe. She seemed to collect herself a moment later, dropping her eyes after the lengthy explanation.

The title was not one that I would openly boast about but at least now I knew what it meant. I'd heard rumblings of the name from different warriors even before I had arrived at the capitol but had not realized that I was the mighty Wanheda they were speaking of. Kyla shifted in her seat and I realized that I had said nothing in response for a few minutes now, too lost in my thoughts to notice.

'Did your people truly live in the sky?' she asked quietly, curiosity overcoming her shyness as she peeked up at me through her eyelashes to gauge my response. A smile lifted my lips at her expression and I nodded, going on to give a detailed description of life in space when she pushed for more information.

The afternoon passed quicker than I had originally thought possible as we contributed tales and stories of our two very separate lives. I told Kyla about life on the Ark and how it had happened that we had landed on Earth and in return she told me about Polis and gave me an insight into the political structure of the Grounders. It was both fun and informative, neither of us realising how much time had passed until the bright sunlight began to fade and Kyla had to politely excuse herself to go about her duties once more.

'Of course, thank you for all that you've taught me' I replied, rising from the chair to stretch my stiff body. Kyla inclined her head as she also stood and offered me a small smile.

'It was a pleasure, until next time' she said, far less nervous now than she had been to begin with. I wished her well and walked her to the door which I shut softly behind her. It had been nice to get to know my handmaid better and the company was more than welcome.

The next morning I was up and changed long before Kyla entered, who was surprised to see that I was already awake. I had no idea when the meeting was taking place but I wanted to be ready, there was little chance of me getting any more sleep with thoughts of what was to come weighing on my mind.

'I was going to help you get ready for the meeting but it seems you have already beaten me to it' she said with a smile, bowing her head slightly before turning to exit the room.

'No wait, why don't you come and sit down?' I suggested, tugging a jacket over my shoulders as I gestured for her to take a seat. She did as I requested after only a slight hesitation and I claimed the seat opposite her.

'You look worried' she commented quietly, her hands folded in her lap as she observed me.

'I'm just anxious for this meeting to go well,' I admitted, not having a clue what I was about to walk into. The result could be another war if we weren't careful.

'Has Lexa told you about the clans and how it all works?' she asked a moment later, and I shook my head in response. There hadn't been any time to inquire into the politics behind the city. Aware of the short amount of time we had, Kyla was careful to summarise the complex system and gave me some brief history on the twelve clans and what to expect in the meeting.

I listened intently to every word, asking Kyla a few questions now and then if there was something I did not understand. She had barely finished her brief lecture when the door to my room opened without warning and a flash of red sash indicated the Commanders entrance. Kyla shot to her feet in an instant, head bowed low as she took a step back to the side of the room.

'Clarke, the meeting is to take place shortly. I was going to come and see you earlier to let you know what to expect but unfortunately I was held up,' she told me, hardly noticing the abrupt movement from my handmaiden as she kept her gaze on me.

'That's okay, Kyla filled me in on some of the politics,' I replied, somewhat relieved that I had an idea of what was about to take place. Lexa paused for a moment as she considered my response, her eyes flicking to where Kyla stood close by.

'There will be two guards with you the entire time, your presence may not be well received' she told me, looking back at me once more with an unreadable expression. Clearly I was not the only one who was anxious for this meeting to go well.

'Heda, they are ready for you' a voice called from outside my room and I drew in a steadying breath as Lexa continued to watch me.

'Ready?' she inquired, and I could only nod in response. She turned and took the lead out of my room as I followed at her back, returning the smile that Kyla sent my way as I passed her. I recalled all that I had been told about the twelve clans as we took the elevator up to the top floor, two guards positioned either side of me moving in unison with my steps as we emerged and made our way to the throne room.

The double doors were swung open and Lexa strode in ahead of me, those present instantly bowing to their Commander as I followed a few steps behind. Lexa headed straight for the throne as I positioned myself in a space to the left of the room as I had been instructed before we entered.

'Rise,' she commanded, lowering herself into the throne as the ambassadors each took their own place in individual chairs. It wasn't long before they noticed my presence and mutterings of _Wanheda _soon began to spread throughout the room.

'We have gathered here today to discuss the fate of Skaikru,' she began once the whispers had died out, though I still felt many heavy gazes resting on me. 'Clarke kom Skaikru is here to speak on behalf of her people.'

'Since when did we invite our enemies to war meetings?' a woman growled, glaring at me across the room and I realised that this must be the Queen of Azgeda that Kyla had spoken of. She had a series of scars on the side of her face that made her look even more ferocious and I could see why Lexa was not so fond of her.

'Firstly we are not enemies, no action has yet been taken to break the peace,' Lexa explained in a clipped tone, 'and secondly this is not a war meeting, we can resolve this without bloodshed. You are here on request Nia and if you're not careful that privilege will quickly be revoked.'

The Queen curled her lip in disgust but said no more, flicking her hateful gaze back to me as her hands clenched on the arm of the large chair.

'Clarke is in the city under my protection and if any harm comes to her then there will be severe consequences,' she stated, making it perfectly clear that I was virtually untouchable. 'Attack her and you attack me.'

The ambassadors glanced at each other in silence but the mutters soon stopped and no more was said of the matter.

'It has come to my attention that there is some unrest over the matter of Skaikru weapons possibly being used against us,' Lexa addressed the entire room once satisfied that her point had been made, her gaze seeking out each ambassador individually until one of them spoke up.

'They could be just as big a threat to us as the mountain men were, worse perhaps,' a thin, scrawny man replied. 'Why sit and wait for them to attack us? Why not attack first and eliminate the threat?'

A few others began to nod in agreement as I watched their reactions, finding no objections to the suggestion.

'What do you have to say to this Wanheda?' Lexa asked, surprising me for a moment as I had not expected to be called upon so soon.

'Skaikru have no intention of breaking the peace, you have nothing to fear from us. Our people worked together to bring down the mountain and as we see it the alliance still stands,' I said after a small pause, though it seemed not everyone was appeased by my words.

'The girl would say that wouldn't she,' Nia snarled, rising to her feet this time as she disregarded Lexa's earlier warning to keep quiet. 'She must think we're stupid to believe that, wanting us to be unprepared when they march on us whilst we sleep!'

A few shouts of agreement sounded and I was dismayed at how determined the Queen clearly was to wage war with Skaikru and it looked like she was succeeding.

'We must gather the armies of the 12 clans and take out Skaikru before they make a move against us, they will fall under our force!'

'Enough!' Lexa snapped, the room falling quiet when she also rose to her feet. 'We are currently at peace with Skaikru, they aided us in attacking the mountain and without them our people would not be freed.'

Nia scoffed at the words but I noticed a few of the ambassadors drop their gaze as they recalled the time not so long ago, when we had been united against a common enemy. Together we had been unstoppable with the sheer number of warriors in addition to the Skaikru weapons.

'It is preventative measures, one day Skaikru may not be as eager to maintain peace,' the skinny man offered, looking at those sat around him as he spoke of how quickly things could change if one day they found themselves wanting to take more land or resources.

'War is not our only option. Think of the casualties that will amass, many will die if we choose to go against Skaikru,' Lexa warned, knowing full well that the guns would slaughter many warriors before the fence was even breached.

'We far outnumber them; it is a sacrifice that must be made.'

'Is that what you will tell the daughters and sons of warriors who will die in a war that could have been avoided?' Lexa countered, no one speaking for a moment as they considered her words.

I waited with baited breath for their response and was relieved to see a few of the ambassadors nodding, finding compassion for those who would suffer the most from the fallout.

'If war is not the answer then we have to do something to show Skaikru that we are not to be taken lightly, now or in the future' another man added. I felt a surge of triumph as I watched Nia slowly reclaim her seat, a bitter expression on her face as she realised that she had lost the support of the room when it came to her insistence of a battle.

'I believe I have a solution,' she began, all eyes turning to her as I began to wonder if she had entirely given up on her plans. 'My army can be ready in a matter of days, they can march on the Skaikru camp, surround them until they cannot look in any direction without seeing an uncountable amount of warriors. They will have fear in their hearts; they will imagine what an unstoppable force our combined armies would be.'

'You wish to continue peace through fear?' Lexa commented, narrowing her eyes at the Queen who remained confident even after her loss of support over a war.

'If we must, they would not dare to attack us then, a show of force is all that we need.'

A ripple of nods passed throughout the room and I already knew that no argument from Lexa would sway the ambassadors now. More began to speak up; showing their approval of the suggestion and the deadly smile on Nia's face chilled me to the bone. I looked up to where Lexa sat; silently hoping that she would say or do something to deter them.

'Agreed. Prepare your army Nia, they march on my command.'

My mouth almost dropped open at Lexa's willingness to go along with this absurd plan, there were too many things that could go wrong. She didn't even glance over at me as she stood, signalling to her guards to open the doors as she dismissed the ambassadors now that the meeting had been concluded. They glanced over suspiciously when I made no move to leave but under Lexa's silent gaze they all filed out to where the elevator would take them down through the tower.

Nia was the last to stand and I only then noticed how tall she was, raising her head somewhat defiantly in Lexa's direction as she fixed me with one final, lingering stare before also departing behind the others. The bald man reluctantly left on Lexa's instruction, as did the guards on the door and those who had been standing with me.

'Don't look at me like that Clarke,' Lexa sighed once the room had cleared, pulling herself up from the throne and walking down the few steps to stand on the same level as me.

'Like you didn't just send an army to march on my people?' I protested, taking a step forward to get some kind of response from her.

'It's better than war Clarke, there was nothing more I could do without going against all 12 clan ambassadors,' she countered, and I had to admit that she had succeeded in preventing a war which I couldn't argue with.

'You think they're going to just sit back and relax when an army surrounds their camp? They're going to think it's an attack and if even a single gun is fired in the armies direction then Nia will get exactly what she wanted from the beginning,' I said firmly, knowing that there would always be one idiot willing to shoot first and then think later.

'Which is why I will have a rider sent to warn them, it's down to them after that,' she told me, and I didn't have the energy to argue over the fine details.

'You can't honestly think that Nia is satisfied with this instead of a battle? She'll have her army attack the second she gets a reason to.'

'I know that, but she has to prepare her army and march them to the camp and I'm certain she will make a mistake before then. She believes that she has the upper hand, we just have to wait for her to slip up and then we have her precisely where we want,' she replied. Waiting didn't sound like the best plan but it looked like I was going to have to trust Lexa, she would not have agreed with Nia had she thought it would end in a war.

Seeing my expression Lexa took a step towards me but remained formal, aware of the two warriors still present in the room.

'It'll be fine Clarke, I know what I'm doing,' she told me and I nodded in response, resisting the urge to reach out to her. 'I have to go and make preparations but you're guards are waiting outside to escort you back to your chambers.'

I left the throne room and took the elevator down to the floor below and went back to my room, dropping down onto my bed with a sigh. It had hardly been a perfect resolution to the meeting but there was no imminent war at hand which I was at least thankful for. The door to my room swung open and I turned my head on the furs to see Kyla enter quietly, smiling in greeting when I pulled myself upright.

'How was the meeting?' she asked, coming to stand at the bottom of the bed as I folded my legs beneath me.

'I'd rather not speak of it,' I admitted, there was nothing I could do about it for the minute and it was not something I considered a pleasant conversational topic.

'Did you recognise the Queen?' she inquired and I almost shuddered at the memory of her piercing gaze.

'She was certainly hard to miss,' I replied, not particular wanting to ever have a run in with the women outside of a meeting.

'Her son is rather pleasant in comparison,' she went on absentmindedly and I frowned, not having known she had a son. 'Did I not mention it before?'

I shook my head; no son had been spoken of when Kyla had been telling me of the history of the twelve clans earlier that day.

'His name is Roan, Prince Roan technically. A formidable fighter and smart thinker, he's a bit of rogue really. I wouldn't say they're overly fond of each other, Nia is more focused on her people than anything else,' Kyla explained, shaking herself slightly when she realised she had gone off topic.

'If you are hungry I could get some food for you?' she offered, knowing that I had yet to eat for the day.

'That would be nice, thank you,' I said, smiling before she backed out of the room once more. I was intrigued to learn that Nia had son, even more so now I knew of their strenuous relationship. Maybe it was something that could be used to our advantage.

The next day it seemed that Nia was well underway with gathering her forces from what Lexa was telling me but it was still business as usual. Lexa was to spend the next few days holding audience with any subjects that wished to speak to her, so I was left mostly to my own devices. Now that my presence in the city had been made public I was able to escape the confines of the tower to explore some of the city below.

It was something that I had hoped to do with Lexa but she was tied up with her responsibilities so I asked Kyla instead as she had a lot of knowledge of the surrounding area. There were market stalls selling all kinds of items from clothes to food and I made a point of visiting any with art supplies. Two guards accompanied us through the city for safety, though most of the people seemed to be friendly and were very welcoming. It was a pleasure to see the city from the ground but as much I was enjoying the freedom the thought of the Ice Nation marching on Camp Jaha was always at the back of my mind and I could not fully allow myself to relax.

A few days after the meeting I was residing in my chambers, patiently sitting and watching in the mirror as Kyla careful crafted my hair under her gentle grip to form a few braids that would keep the hair back out of my face. I liked the new look and wondered why I hadn't done it sooner; my long hair had always been getting in my way before now. I smiled at my reflection and Kyla was pleased at my reaction, brushing back a few loose strands over my shoulders.

'There you go, subtle yet efficient as promised,' she beamed, pulling me up by the arm to spin me around in front of the mirror so I could see the entire work.

'It's perfect, thanks,' I said, lifting a hand to probe the new style before Kyla lightly slapped my hand away warning me not to mess it up after she had just finished. I chuckled and lowered my hands slowly, opening my mouth to speak as the door almost caved in when someone knocked on it with excessive force.

Kyla jumped at the sudden noise but I called for them to enter, one of Lexa's warriors coming in to offer a small bow.

'Wanheda, I apologise for disturbing you but the Commander wishes to speak to you in her chambers.'

My smile widened at the news, it was possible that she was now done with her meetings and had some free time.

'I'm sorry to leave you so suddenly,' I said to Kyla, I had planned to show her a few of my drawings after she had shown interest in the different art supplies that I had been gathering.

'No need to apologise, you can hardly refuse the Commander,' she said with a small smile and waved me on my way.

The bulky Grounder led me up to Lexa's empty chambers and told me to wait for her, she would not be long. I took a seat in what was now my favourite armchair next to the sofa to wait for her arrival; it had been a while since we had been able to speak in private at Polis, too long.

**Lexa's POV**

After the meeting I immediately selected a warrior to ride south as fast as he could to inform the Skaikru camp of what was happening, I doubted they would take it lightly but if they had any sense they would know to trust what the messenger said. It was not an attack. Clarke had not been wrong when she said that if any gunfire went off then Nia would have the perfect excuse to storm the camp, with one army or twelve. As long as the camp was destroyed it made no difference to her.

I had to leave Clarke to her own devices for the next few days, having to attend meetings with various clan leaders and hold an audience for my subjects regarding any smaller issues they needed dealing with. I wanted nothing more than to push aside these somewhat unnecessary duties to spend some time with Clarke, showing her the city and all its wonders had been the plan for if she was ever in the capitol.

It seemed that her handmaiden Kyla had that privilege, but I didn't let it bother me. Her company was clearly enjoyed by Clarke and I was glad that she had found a form of friendship in the city, though I had doubts about her choice. Once this business with the Ice Clan was over I had a more personalised tour planned for Wanheda, one she would not be forgetting any time soon.

Smiling at the thought I had to compose my features as I strode through the city streets on my way to greet a high ranking member of the Broad Leaf clan at the gates, they held none of the hatred that Azgeda did for the Skaikru and it was in our best interests to keep them on good terms, this man held a lot of sway in his clan with their leader and that could make all the difference. If Azgeda wanted the clans to join her in plotting against the Skaikru then I had to ensure that I had their collective support.

Hurried footsteps sounded from behind me and my guards turned to intercept the man who was sprinting down the street behind me. He could barely catch his breath when they grabbed him by the arms to prevent him from moving any closer.

'Heda…forgive my behaviour…it is urgent…' he informed me in between deep gasping breaths.

'What's happened?' I asked sharply, skipping over the useless information wanting to get directly to the source of his presence.

'There is a disturbance down on the courtyard; you are needed to diffuse the situation.'

I nodded and gestured for him to lead the way, the two warriors releasing their grip to allow him to move once more. We did not linger for long and with two guards at my back I followed the man's hurried footsteps out onto the courtyard.

Over on the far side I could already see the gathering of warriors who all had weapons in their hands, aiming them at whoever they had surrounded. Passing the young man, who had stopped a safe distance away, I called for the mass of warriors to part and let me through, the guards at my back stepping in to roughly shove any slow movers out of my way.

Soon a path was cleared and I stepped inside the circle of warriors to come face to face with Abby who had a gun aimed at my chest. I froze in shock, both of us just staring silently until finally she diverted the gun away from me to the closest warrior.

'Skaikru,' I growled, noticing the four other people with her, two were Ark guards who I did not recognise. Bellamy stood facing away from me next to his sister, also with a gun in hand though he was quick to swivel when he heard my voice.

'Commander, finally, you can tell them to back off now,' he said tightly, his words met with an outraged roar from the warriors that encircled us.

'What happened here?' I called out, still trying to get my head around the fact that they were in Polis and not back in Camp Jaha where Clarke had left them.

'We were just-'

'Not you,' I broke in when Bellamy began to speak, nodding to the closest warrior to talk.

'They came in through the secret tunnels and pulled out guns, we thought they were going to start shooting,' he told me, keeping a wary eye on the five Skaikru as he spoke. Bellamy sputtered in protest but I ignored him, aware of the steady gaze that Abby was currently piercing me with. They all seemed to think that I would pardon them for Clarke's sake.

One of the warriors jabbed forwards with his weapon, drawing a harsh warning from the Ark guard to stay back as he nervously tightened his grip on the gun, dangerously close to pulling the trigger. This was the last thing Polis needed right now. After all the effort we had gone to trying to convince the city that Skaikru meant them no harm they had to blunder in and do this?

'Tell your warriors to stand down and we will drop the weapons,' Abby said softly, silently pleading with me to back them up on this. I remained silent for a moment as all eyes in the courtyard turned to me waiting on my order, the tension between the two groups unmistakable.

'Lay down your weapons,' I said, not taking my eyes off Abby as she frowned in confusion. 'Now,' I insisted firmly.

Abby was the first to drop her weapon, the others quickly following suite as she let it fall to the ground. My warriors eyed the now defenceless group as I assessed the situation; I had little choice since they had arrived in Polis unannounced and had been armed.

'Have them taken to holding, I will have them sent for when we're ready to hear what they have to say,' I instructed one of the warriors at my side who was more than willing to do as I asked.

'Go with them, ensure they are treated well,' I said quietly to one of my personal guards who nodded and went to follow my order, Clarke would not be pleased if they were injured under my watch. I told another warrior to go and inform Clarke that I wished to speak with her, insisting she come at once. Bellamy shot me a cold glare when warrior gripped his arm and guided him off the courtyard to be locked up in holding. One of the Ark guards struggled slightly but there was little he could do against the large bulky man who pulled him along. Abby made no such protest and went easily, looking back at me over her shoulder as she was also led away.

My guard cleared the area of hovering warriors who would no doubt cause trouble and had the weapons on the floor collected in a bag that was brought to me. I had them taken to the tower where they would be far from Skaikru hands. I could hardly believe the awful timing, it couldn't have possibly happened at a worse moment.

If Queen Nia needed any evidence to back up her concerns regarding an attack from the Skaikru then she had exactly what she wanted. I'd had no choice but to have them put in holding, any other decision and it would've looked like I was backing them and I would have had little control over the situation. Clarke needed to know what had happened here but first I had to greet the Broad Leaf representative. Exhaling sharply I resumed my path to the front gate, hoping that this would be finished quickly, Clarke was waiting for me

After I had welcomed the man to Polis and had him sent on a quick tour around the city I headed straight back to the tower, not wanting to keep Clarke waiting any longer than necessary. I wondered how I was going to tell her as the elevator rose steadily through the tower. Would she agree with my actions? I was surely about to find out.

Finally at the top floor I reached my room and stepped inside to see Clarke perched in the arm chair, watching the light filter in through the patterns in the stone wall before she turned her face to me and a smile lifted her lips.

'Lexa, I got your message about wanting to speak,' she said, rising from the chair to stand as I slowly approached. 'Are all your meetings finished?'

'For now yes,' I replied, not wanting to break her good mood by telling her about what had just happened but knowing that I had no choice. 'Good, I was hoping to spend some time with you.'

She reached forwards and surprised me by grasping my hand in hers, making me momentarily forget what I was really doing here as I looked down at our entwined hands.

'You've been so busy recently, did you want to go out into the city?' she said hopefully, and it sounded like a perfect idea. A frown creased her brow when I gently pulled my hand from her grip, collecting my thoughts as I tried not to be affected by her somewhat dismayed expression at the loss of contact.

'First we have to talk,' I said quietly, watching her expression smooth as she nodded slightly. 'I have five members of Skaikru currently being held in the cells, including your mother.'

I watched carefully when she closed her eyes for a brief moment, inhaling deeply at the news as the silence stretched on. I braced myself for an argument but none came, instead a moment later her eyes opened and I only saw acceptance and understanding in their depths, no anger or mistrust.

'Tell me everything.'

**I am so sorry for the long wait, hope you enjoy the chapter! Thanks for reading, let me know what you thought ****J**


	39. Chapter 39

I stood to the left of the throne where Lexa was seated as a number of guards escorted the small group of Skaikru into the room. I clasped my hands in front of my body as I ignored the inquisitive gazes that fell on me, a few of them looking rather irritated after having been held in the cells but it had not been for long.

'Leave us,' Lexa commanded, the four guards present bowing their heads before departing as instructed. The double doors were pulled shut behind them, leaving us without an audience. Lexa remained seated on the throne as I descended the few steps down to where my mom was stood with the others.

'Clarke, you look…' she paused for a moment, as if trying to find the right word and I braced myself for whatever insult she was going to throw at me. 'You look good.'

Her comment threw me off guard and I remained silent as she pulled me in for a quick hug, pleased to see me after weeks apart.

'Back at camp you weren't yourself, I was worried about you Clarke,' she told me, releasing her grip to step back and take a good look at me.

'Yes, well, there's no need to dwell on that now,' I quickly interjected, aware that Lexa could hear everything that was being said and had not yet heard of my fragile state after the capture. 'We have more important matters to discuss.'

I took a few steps back as Lexa rose from the throne and came to stand beside me so that we could address all of them together. Bellamy was looking far from pleased at his situation and I could already imagine the complaints he was about to fire at us.

'Yes, like how the Commander had us locked up in a cell for hours when we came to the city in peace,' he said darkly, and I internally sighed at how over dramatic he was being.

'I can imagine how peaceful it came across with your weapons drawn,' I countered, 'and you have been in the cells for less than an hour Bellamy, Lexa had some other important business to attend to.'

The small group stared at me in silence for a moment, some surprised that I was openly backing the Commander over the matter of their treatment. It was a waste of time even going over this, it was done now and thankfully my mother seemed to understand that it was a pointless discussion.

'I'm sure that it was the right decision Clarke but the reason we are here is your message that an army is marching on our camp,' she said before Bellamy had a chance to retaliate. I glanced sideways at Lexa as I briefly wondered how much to tell them of the situation, receiving a small nod that I could tell them as much as I liked.

'Some of the clans feel that Skaikru is a threat now that the mountain has been destroyed, after some negotiation it was agreed that a show of power would be the best way to deter any future rebellion,' I explained, 'but there will be no attack and we are dealing with it as best we can.'

Frowns soon formed on their faces and even I heard how ridiculous the idea sounded. It seemed like we were setting them up for an attack.

'So you send a messenger to tell us to sit tight, that it'll all be fine and to trust that you know what you're doing?' Bellamy said disbelievingly, shaking his head at the idea.

'There are more factors at play but Clarke and I are dealing with them, it was the best we could do in a bad situation,' Lexa carried on for me, neither of us wanting to go into detail about the Ice Queen's plans of massing an attack of 12 clans on the camp, it would only build more fear and opposition.

'How did you get here anyway?' I asked them, wondering if it had been Lincoln or Indra that had told them the location of Polis.

'Lincoln told us how to get here and to use the secret tunnels to gain access, he was helping Indra in TonDc so was unable to come with us,' Octavia told me, 'what's going to happen now?'

I glanced over at Lexa, not knowing how we would proceed now that Queen Nia's army was most probably almost at camp Jaha by now.

'I will have to provide you with some accommodation here in the tower until this business is concluded, after which you will be free to return home.'

'Not locking us back up in the cells again then?' Bellamy said bitterly, finding himself the subject of a cold glare from Lexa.

'If you continue to speak so disrespectfully it is always an option,' she warned, and though I knew she would not act on those words Bellamy did not and his mouth thankfully snapped shut. 'I will have my warriors take you to some spare rooms.'

She called for the guards outside to escort them, keeping the meeting brief so as to deter any probing questions that we did not particularly want to answer. For now there was no choice but to have them stay in Polis until it was safe to return home.

'Are you not coming?' my mom asked, turning to look back at me when I did not move to go with them.

'I'll come and find you later,' I told her, watching as she was led out of the throne room until only Lexa and I remained. 'Well that went about as well as expected.'

'Is it your wish that they remain in the dark over the Ice Queen's plans?' she replied, giving me the option to tell them if I wished. I felt that it would only cause further chaos if they knew how close it had come to having 12 armies attacking their camp rather than a single one surrounding them.

'I may have to tell my mom, she won't rest until she has uncovered the truth,' I replied, not wanting to have to deal with her endless questions. I could trust her not to tell the others if I asked. Lexa nodded, not having any objections and from the look on her face I already knew what she was about to say.

'Abby spoke earlier that you were not quite yourself back at camp Jaha after my departure, you did not say anything upon your arrival here,' she said gently, not wishing to bring up memories that were long buried.

'I was still dealing with what had happened with the mountain men and with your departure on top of it, I was something of a mess,' I admitted, not entirely wanting to think back to that time. A sadness passed across Lexa's face and I could tell she was regretting her decision to leave me, not that she'd had much choice.

'Don't even think about blaming yourself, I was still recovering and it was to be expected. I'm fine now so there's no point dwelling on the past.'

Lexa slowly nodded but I knew that she would still wonder if things would be different had she chosen to stay at camp rather than return to Polis. I dreaded to think how much worse the situation with Azgeda would have been if she had not left.

A knock on the door interrupted our conversation and the bald man that I now recognised as Titus entered, telling Lexa that the Broad Leaf representative had completed his tour and wanted to talk. She looked at me apologetically but I insisted she go and meet him, I had to go and find Abby anyway.

The floor below mine was where they were being held for the meantime; unable to leave the tower for their own safety it was hardly ideal for them. I was told where each member of the group was staying and went straight for the one that had been prepared for my mom, knocking lightly on the door before entering.

She called for me to come in and I saw that she was stood by the window, gazing out over the city below. Her room was noticeably smaller than mine, only about half the size without any other furniture than the bed and a single chair off to the side. I guessed this was the more basic accommodation for shorter stays. She turned and smiled as I approached, standing at her side as we both looked out at the view.

'I did not tell you everything earlier, there is more to it that we did not discuss,' I admitted, wanting to tell her as soon as possible, slightly surprised when she nodded calmly.

'I thought as much, I could always tell when you were hiding something from me,' she told me, and for the next few minutes she remained quiet as I explained the situation regarding the threat from the Ice Nation and how Queen Nia was attempting to convince the clans that Skaikru was a threat that needed dealing with.

She said nothing when I had finished, absorbing all of the information before replying.

'Can you guarantee that there won't be an attack on camp?' she finally asked, turning her head to watch my reaction.

'No,' I told her honestly, not willing to lie about the situation. 'We are working on taking the Queen down and even though we are working on the situation I cannot tell you for certain.'

My mom seemed to respect my honesty and made no objection to our plans but merely fixed me with a troubled gaze.

'I just hope you know what you're doing Clarke, a lot of lives depend on it,' she warned, and it made me realise just how much was at stake. We continued to talk for some time after that but eventually I wished her well and retired to my room once more, not in any mood to visit the others as I mulled over our conversation.

Her words continue to circulate throughout my head and for the first time I allowed myself to think of what would happen if we failed to stop the queen in time. Surely there was something we could do to stop Nia from succeeding in her plans? We were here waiting for her to slip up but it seemed to be a wiser move to take action sooner rather than later. I had an idea but it was far from safe.

I had Kyla summoned immediately and explained to her that I wanted a meeting set up with Prince Roan as soon as possible, she had connections in the city and I had no doubt that she was capable of it. She warned me against the plan but reluctantly agreed, disappearing to make arrangements as discretely as possible.

She had barely spoken a word to me the entire day, her eyes downcast whenever she had to engage in any conversation. Come to think of it she had been slowly pulling away for a few days now, any friendship that we had shared a distant memory compared to this new, strained atmosphere. I wondered if I had done anything to offend or upset her but there was little to be done about it at the moment.

No longer than an hour later did she return and inform me that he had agreed, but only that night at a specified location. Glancing outside I saw that darkness was already beginning to fall but had little choice but to agree if I wanted the meeting to take place.

'Where does he wish to meet?' I asked, already having doubts about this plan.

'A small building not far from here, I know the location if you would like for me to guide you there?' she offered and I nodded, instructing her to meet me outside in half an hour. She then departed with a small bow and left me to get ready.

I changed into some fresh clothes and pulled on a material hood to hide my face as I quietly left my room and snuck out of the tower to wait for Kyla. I could barely conceal my nerves as I thought of all the things that could possibly go wrong. Lexa certainly would not have approved of this late night meeting which was why I intended to tell her afterwards.

My senses were on high alert and I turned quickly when soft footsteps sounded at my back, relaxing immediately when I saw that it was Kyla. We exchanged no words in fear of being heard by any nearby guards and I merely gestured for her to lead the way, both of us staying away from the main paths as we crept further through the sleeping city.

After a short time we reached a building situated away from the main city and Kyla indicated that this was the arranged meeting place. I whispered for her to stay outside and keep her eyes open for anyone else, quietly easing the small door open before slipping inside.

Heart pounding, I glanced around in the total darkness but was unable to see anything until a sudden flare of light from a match appeared, highlighting the man seated at the table as he lit the few candles in front of him. I stood in silence until he had finished and lifted his gaze to mine as he made a brief assessment.

'I take it you're Roan?' I inquired, not entirely sure where to start now that I was here, pulling down the hood that concealed my face.

'That would be Prince Roan to you, and I assume so unless you have any other meetings scheduled in abandoned buildings with strangers?' he replied with a hint of sarcasm, leaning back in his chair as he observed me. 'Take a seat.'

After a slight hesitation I did as he asked, pulling back the wooden chair on my end of the table to take a seat opposite him. I was just thankful for the table between us as it certainly made me more comfortable to keep my distance from the man.

'So what did you wish to speak to me about so urgently?' he inquired, breaking the silence as we both continued to watch the other warily.

'You're aware of your mother's plans to take care of Skaikru once and for all, I want your help to stop her,' I told him confidently, thankful that there was no quiver in my voice when he slipped a dagger from his jacket and placed it lightly in front of him.

'That is quite a claim; surely I should just kill you now for even daring to say such a thing. Maybe that's why I agreed to this meeting, easier to kill someone who comes willingly,' he mused, tilting his head slightly as he spoke, his voice low and dangerous though I sensed he was merely testing me.

'I would be dead by now if that was what you intended, and if you did try anything there would be a bullet between your eyes before you even reached that blade,' I warned, a faint smile lifting his lips at the blatant threat.

'I am deceptively quick Wanheda but I hear you, and I do not wish for any bad blood between us quite so soon,' he told me, slipping the blade away once more before placing his hands on the table in a show of faith. I released the concealed gun from my grip and rested my arms on the table in a similar position.

'I understand that you and your mother do not have the closest bond, what do you think about her plans?' I inquired, already having an idea from what Kyla had told me.

'Let's just say that if I were in her position I would not waste my time on such a futile idea, it is better to have such weapons working with us than against,' he replied, and I was relieved to hear his response. It was precisely what I had been hoping for.

'So if something were to befall the Queen then you would become the King of Azgeda, which would of course be beneficial to you,' I said, both of us skirting around the words that would be considered treason, always a dangerous topic.

There was a drawn out silence as we both regarded each other, Roan clearly thinking over the preposition which would give us both what we wanted.

'I'm afraid there is nothing I can do for you Wanheda, she is still my Queen after all,' he finally said, my fragile hope crumbling at the certainty in his voice.

'From what I hear she does not care for you, this is an opportunity that we can both benefit from,' I went on, hoping to sway him but there seemed to be little chance of that now.

'It is true that Azgeda will always be far more important to the Queen than her own son and I have done many things to survive Wanheda, as have you but this is something that I will have to leave to you,' he concluded, leaving no room for negotiating when he slowly rose from the table. I also stood and nodded in acceptance of his decision, it looked like I was going to have to find some other way to take Nia down.

'Can I trust that the Queen will not hear of this meeting?' I asked him, not wanting to have to deal with the fallout if this ever got back to her.

'I give you my word, she will hear nothing from me,' he assured me, holding my gaze for a moment and I saw only sincerity in his eyes. I inclined my head in thanks and turned to leave, pausing at the door when he said my name.

'I truly hope that you find an alternative arrangement, if you do succeed then we will be speaking again,' he said softly, appearing almost as a shadow from where he stood in the dying light of the candles. 'Until then Wanheda.'

'Until then,' I said quietly, not looking back as I slipped out into the night to where Kyla was waiting. She watched me silently when I emerged, waiting as I pulled up the hood to conceal my face once more. 'Let's go.'

We retraced our footsteps through the city and were soon at the tower where I bid goodnight to Kyla, thanking her for the help before ascending the tower to return to my room. I took a steadying breath in the silence, wondering if I had just made a terrible mistake. The entire meeting had been pointless; Roan had refused to take over from his mother in such a deceptive manner I was back to where I had started.

I pulled the hood from my head and had to clench my fist to quell the uncontrollable tremor that had taken hold, not having wanted to show any nerves in front of the Prince even though he had been a rather imposing figure. If the Queen did find out about the recent meeting then I had no doubt that Roan and I would not live to have another. It was well past midnight as I shoved the hood into my drawers and too tired to think any more about the possible consequences I crawled into bed, drifting into an uneasy sleep after such an eventful day.

I awoke the next morning as the early morning sun filtered into my room, the previous events of the night coming back to me all too soon. I groaned quietly at the thought of telling Lexa about the whole thing and lifted a hand to my face, rubbing the sleep from my eyes before I sat up in the bed, freezing instantly when I glanced over and saw Lexa sat in the chair to the side watching me.

'Good morning,' I said hesitantly when she said nothing, hands clasped in her lap and I wondered how long she had been sitting there for.

'How did you sleep?' she inquired with an unreadable expression, instantly raising my guard as I frowned in confusion.

'Not too bad,' I said in response, briefly wondering if I was still asleep but knew that this was no dream.

'Do you usually sleep fully clothed?' she asked a moment later, and I glanced down to see that I was still wearing my jacket and shirt from the day before, completely having forgotten to change in my tiredness the previous night. I pulled back the fur cover and made myself busy straightening the dishevelled material as I desperately thought of a way to talk my way out of it.

'I was feeling rather tired last night, it must have slipped my mind,' I mumbled, turning away from her piercing gaze to take a deep breath. This was not how I had intended on telling her about my meeting with Roan and I had already dug myself into hole by this point. Even I could not believe the pathetic reasoning.

'Clarke, I know where you went last night, do not think you are fooling me,' she said tightly and my chest tightened at her words, hearing her stand from the chair as she spoke. I was suddenly very grateful that I had my back to her so that she did not see the sudden rush of guilt that passed across my face. Not only had I gone to meet the Prince without informing her first but even worse she knew that I had lied about the whole thing.

'I got a rather concerning message from Queen Nia this morning regarding your little visit and I don't have to tell you how furious she is with you, and she's not the only one,' Lexa continued when I remained silent, anger seeping into her voice as she dropped the casual act.

'Lexa I'm sorry for not telling you, but I knew that you would have disapproved,' I attempted to explain, finally turning to face her, wincing at the evident fury in her expression.

'Of course I would have disapproved, because I would have seen this coming and stopped you before all of our careful plans to take down Nia crumbled down around us,' she hissed, and I knew that I would have a lot of making up to do if I wanted to make this right.

'I thought that if I got Roan on side then we would have an advantage over the Queen,' I said, thinking back on when it had all seemed like such a good idea. Except now Nia knew and I was certain that she would not take it lightly. That left me another question, how had she found out? Roan had made it clear that he would keep the meeting between us and he had as much to lose as I did if it came to light that he had met with me.

'Did Nia say how she knew about the meeting?' I asked, frowning in confusion, not understanding how it had happened.

'Roan must have told her, that's the least of our worries right now,' Lexa growled, beginning to pace as she vented her frustration.

'No, he gave me his word and I believe him,' I said quickly, certain that it had not been him. I did not know why but it didn't make any sense.

'You met him once Clarke, you trust to quickly,' Lexa snapped, brushing aside my concerns though I knew better than that.

'I'm telling you, it wasn't him,' I insisted, finally getting Lexa's attention as she sighed at my persistence.

'Then who? No one else was there and it is his mother you're plotting against after all.'

I fell silent when a thought occurred to me, one that made me feel sick to the stomach in realisation.

'No, it couldn't be…' I whispered, the pieces slowly fitting together as I remembered the one other person who had accompanied me.

'What is it Clarke?' Lexa growled, stopping her pacing to watch me impatiently.

'Kyla was with me.'

She had been somewhat distant recently, for no apparent reason she had become more closed off and I thought at first it was due to something I must've done wrong. Now it dawned on me that she must have started reporting back to Nia on my whereabouts which is how the Queen had known about my talk with her son.

'The handmaid? What exactly have you been telling her?' Lexa inquired, and I was somewhat offended that she thought I would spill all of our secrets to Kyla so easily.

'Nothing,' I insisted, 'we spoke of art, my life on the Ark, just general things that were of no importance. I would never tell her anything more. I don't understand why she would do this, I thought I knew her.'

'All you knew of her was what she told you, which could have all been lies.' Lexa took a deep breath, attempting to control her anger at having been infiltrated by the Queen without us noticing. 'This is what happens when you get close to people Clarke, it can be difficult to know who to trust not to betray you.'

Her words were hard to hear but in a way she was right, not that the statement was entirely accurate. I took a step forwards to catch her eye, wanting to make it clear that she could not always live by that rule.

'I would never betray you Lexa, not everyone is the enemy,' I told her softly, the world would be a lonely place if we refused to get close to people in fear of ulterior motives.

'I know you wouldn't, I trust you Clarke but it is everyone else that concerns me,' she admitted, turning away as she thought over what to do about our predicament.

'So what do we do about Kyla?' I asked her, feeling defeated to know that she had been working for the queen after we had gotten along so well.

'Nothing,' Lexa replied, her blunt answer startling me. It was the last thing that I had expected.

'What? She'll just keep reporting back to the queen if we let it continue,' I said, not wanting to think about all the things that had been reported, conversations that I had thought were just between us.

'Nia does not know that her spy has been uncovered and that's exactly how I want it,' she told me, keeping her back to me as I stared in disbelief.

Associating the word _spy _with Kyla was still difficult; I could hardly believe she would do such a thing after all the time we had spent together. Though she could have been working against me since the moment we met for all I knew.

I slumped down into the chair that Lexa had vacated earlier and rested my head in my hands as I contemplated how hard it was now going to be to pretend that I knew nothing of this, still keeping my behaviour natural whenever she was around.

'I don't know if I can Lexa,' I admitted, knowing how easy it would be to slip up and make it apparent that I was aware of her betrayal.

'Clarke, look at me, I know it's going to be hard but if we want to take down Nia then you must,' she said when I looked up at her. 'You have already drawn to much attention by seeking out Roan, you have to be careful.'

I nodded at her words, it was vital that I carried on as normal.

'It will not be for long, soon this will all be over but for now you have to be strong,' she went on, taking the seat opposite to speak to me directly. 'This is the mistake that we have been waiting for, she has nowhere to turn now and we will take her down.'

I was somewhat comforted by her words, it was hard to believe that there was an end to all of this but it seemed that we were close to succeeding. It was just a matter of keeping my knowledge hidden from Kyla but I could do it, I wanted the Queen taken from power and if this was the way to do it then I was determined to do things the right way from now on.

**Leave a comment and tell me what you thought :D **


	40. Chapter 40

The air was noticeably cooler the next morning, the summer heat drawing to an end as the first signs of the winter season set in. I stood at my window, not looking at anything in particular as several thoughts swirled throughout my head. Anxiety was already beginning to stir at the thought of facing Kyla, though I was determined to see this through to the end no matter what the outcome. The sound of the door opening at my back indicated Kyla's arrival and I steeled myself as I kept my back to the girl.

'I thought you might be up early, did you want some breakfast prepared?'

'Not at the moment, I'll grab something later,' I told her lightly, not wanting to risk looking at the girl in case she saw the true feelings reflected in my gaze. No movement was heard as Kyla hesitated, clearly wanting to say more.

'I heard that there was some kind of meeting yesterday, anything important?' she inquired innocently, not noticing my teeth clench in frustration at her attempts to recover information from me. How I had not noticed this before I would never know. Maybe Lexa had a point, perhaps I was too trusting.

'Just going over some issues regarding Skaikru, nothing to worry about,' I assured her, forcing a smile as I turned to face her. 'I'm going out for a walk in the city, I shouldn't be long.'

This false pretence was as hard as expected and I wanted to keep interactions to a minimum just to be on the safe side. Kyla nodded slowly, asking if I would like any company but looked relieved when I insisted that I would rather be alone.

I blew out a sigh as I descended the tower, a material hood drawn over my face to avoid any encounters in the streets. Acting my usual self around Kyla was just as hard as pretending that I knew nothing of her betrayal when all I wanted to do was find out why she had done it. That was something that would have to wait for later.

It was pleasant to blend in with the crowds for once, lowering my face as I passed by the many stalls that were littered through the streets. It was still early so there were no hordes of people gathered which made it easier for travelling; the space away from the tower was much needed in the current situation.

I slowed my pace and stopped in the shadows of a store building, virtually invisible as I observed the activity around me. Different clan members bartered over goods, selling clothes and food for decent trades. My attention was drawn to where a young man was serving an elderly woman at his stall, impressive carved wooden figures lined up in rows on the table. He was clearly skilled at the art, the intricate designs in his work requiring great dedication and time to perfect.

The women was admiring a beautifully designed staff, curved and patterned to show the ripples and waves that spread through the wood. It was truly mesmerising just to look at and the woman appeared crestfallen when she only had three animal furs to trade, the masterpiece requiring at least four in good condition.

A friendly smile appeared on the man's face and he held the wooden item out to her, insisting that three furs would suffice. From this distance I could not make out exactly what was being said but the woman finally agreed, and after trading the three furs she left with the staff in hand. The man soon moved onto his next customer, the tattoos decorating his cheeks lifting with every warm smile that he gave the people around his stall.

I continued to watch the interactions for a few more minutes, wondering if I had bumped into this man around the city before. There was something strangely familiar about him, though I couldn't quite place the feeling. His kindness was almost surprising at such a time, and it reminded me that there was more to Polis then power play and war.

There was no more time to dwell on the thought when I noticed a bald man quickly striding down the street in his flowing robe, recognising it to be Titus as he headed in the direction of the tower, disappearing quickly between the scattered stalls. Turning away from the familiar man I made my way back through the streets to the centre of Polis to find out what was going on.

I pulled off the hood as I stepped out of the elevator on the top floor of the tower, surprised to find Abby, Octavia and Bellamy gathered not a few metres away. They were huddled in a small circle, exchanging hushed whispers as two guards looked on in silence.

'What are you doing here?' I asked after a slight hesitation, the three of them spinning to face me when they heard my voice.

'Looks like there's something important going on in there, it would be nice to know what but the Commander has had the entire corridor blocked,' Bellamy grumbled, gesturing down the corridor towards the throne room. There were two guards standing just over a metre away, weapons crossed in the centre of the corridor to prevent entry. With the knowledge that Nia had a spy in the city, I guessed that it was a measure to stop anyone from listening in on the private conversation.

'When we tried to get through they said something about only the highest personnel being admitted entry,' Bellamy scoffed, rubbing a hand across his forehead in frustration.

'You know this place better than us Clarke, there must be a way for us to hear what's going on inside?' Octavia suggested, the three of them going on to exchange ideas when I ignored them, thinking on what Bellamy had just said. I turned away from the small group and headed towards the two guards, barely noticed as the three of them continued with their scheming.

'Clarke? Did you not listen to what I just said? You can't...get in there,' Bellamy trailed off when the two warriors stepped aside to allow me access, snapping their weapons back into place when I had passed. It seemed that they had yet to realise that I was one of the highest personnel the guards had spoken of.

'I'll find you later,' I called back over my shoulder, barely glancing back at them as I arrived at the double doors, knocking lightly to announce my presence before slipping inside.

Lexa and Titus were stood in the centre of the room and it was clear from the tension that this was not going to be good news. I looked questioningly at the Commander, not needing to speak when she nodded for Titus to repeat what he had told her.

'After some investigation into the coalition I have found a few worrying signs. It would appear that the Queen does not only have a spy watching us here in the tower, but every clan in the alliance. This suggests that she is biding her time before she eliminates all the higher powers in the city and takes control for herself, it is almost certain by this point.'

I had only been in the room for less than a minute and already I was beginning to get a headache just thinking about the impacts that this would have. She must have recruited supporters from each of the clans in preparation, leaving them waiting for the orders to strike at their leader. There would be no chance for retaliation; it would all be over before we even knew anything was happening. There was little I could say in response to that as we all contemplated what this now meant for us, action would have to be taken soon or we would all suffer from her plans.

'Titus, I need solid evidence if I am to take this to the ambassadors, do whatever you must,' Lexa commanded, the bald man bowing at the waist before leaving to carry out his orders. Nia would claim that this was all false accusations without anything to back it up.

'I sent a guard to have you escorted here shortly before you arrived but it seemed that you were not in your room,' Lexa said, pulling me from my thoughts of the coalition.

Without bothering to cover it up I admitted that I had been out in the city at the time, only returning when I had seen Titus making his way here. She did not look best pleased by my explanation, reminding me of the danger that I faced from Nia if she wanted me taken from the picture. Especially having found out about my meeting with Roan, it had only given her more incentive.

'You're right, I will not leave without my guards next time,' I assured her, knowing it would be asking for trouble if I continued to venture out alone.

Satisfied that I would not repeat my actions, Lexa went to retrieve a wrapped item that had been left on the throne. She came back with it in her hands, holding it out for me to take so that I could look properly at the weapon.

'I know you already have a dagger, but this one is better adapted for close range fighting. I hope you won't need to use it,' she explained, watching as I admired the weapon, noting the engraved symbols of our two people on the hilt. I recognised the show of solidarity and smiled in thanks, gently covering it with the material once more.

We left shortly afterwards, Lexa on her way to speak quietly to a few of the most trusted ambassadors as I was pulled to a stop by my mother who was still waiting outside with Bellamy and Octavia. The Commander continued on down the corridor and I prepared to face the stream of questions that would surely come.

'What happened in there? Even the bald guy left before you did,' Octavia stated, restless after all of the time spent waiting for me to emerge. I hardly had chance to reply when Bellamy piped up with more questions.

'Was there an update on the army? Are they attacking our camp?'

I flicked my gaze to him in annoyance but shook my head, holding out a hand for them all to fall silent.

'There are no further updates on the Azgeda army, it's being dealt with so the less you know the safer you are,' I told them, not that my answer satisfied them in the slightest.

I feigned tiredness and explained that I had other business to attend to so that I could return to my room, not having any answers for their probing questions. They would just have to trust me on this one. The sooner we dealt with the Ice Queen, the sooner Camp Jaha would be out of danger. We just needed to convince the ambassadors of her treachery to have her removed from power.

An idea sparked in my mind at the thought. Titus was out on Lexa's orders attempting to acquire some solid evidence, but what if we already had all the evidence we needed? Kyla was working under the Ice Queen; surely she would have some inside information on what the Queen was planning. It was worth a shot, though I didn't want to do anything without Lexa's approval and quickly burst out in the corridor in the hope of catching up with her.

I almost collided straight with my mother who had her hand lifted to knock on the door, frowning in surprise when the door flew open without warning.

'Clarke? What are you-'

'I need to find Lexa, have you seen her?' I inquired, glancing this way and that as if she might be around the corner.

'What? No, I haven't, What's this all about?' she asked, repeating the question when I remained quiet, wracking my thoughts for any idea of where she might be.

'Wanheda,' the guard outside my door spoke up, instantly drawing my attention as I gestured for him to continue. 'I believe she is with Titus, would you have us take you to her?'

I nodded and, after telling my mom that I would speak to her later, I descended the tower and was led to a large, arched doorway which was opened to reveal a set of stairs after which I found myself at another large door, pushing it open in relief to see Lexa stood talking with Titus. The room was fairly dark, flickering candles filling the space with only the faintest of light.

'Clarke, what's the matter?' Lexa asked, having only left me less than half an hour ago.

I quickly summarised my plan to use Kyla against Nia, find out what information she knew and present that to the ambassadors. They could hardly argue with a witness account. Lexa didn't seem overly taken by the suggestion though we had few other options and we both knew it.

'Are you sure you want to do this?' she inquired, knowing that there was no turning back from this. I had to be completely certain that this was what I wanted.

'I am.'

With a final reluctant nod she agreed and after a few advisory words I retreated from the dark building and returned to my room once more, anxiously awaiting Kyla's appearance. A deadly calm settled over me when I heard the door open at my back, turning to face the girl as she entered the room.

'You summoned me?' she began, nervous under my steady gaze as she clasped her hands tightly. 'Would you like me to prepare a meal for you?'

'I would rather you take a seat,' I instructed, taking the lead and sitting in the first chair, leaving Kyla with no option but to slowly lower herself into the one opposite.

'How long have you been working for Queen Nia?' I asked abruptly, no patience for dancing around the topic further. Kyla's eyes widened at the statement, silent for a few seconds as she processed my words.

'I...don't know what you're talking about, why would you ask such a thing?' she stuttered, not caving immediately as I had thought she would. Confrontation was hardly her strongest talent.

'You know precisely what I'm talking about so start explaining,' I snapped, not wanting to hear any more excuses and get straight to the facts.

'It's not what you think Clarke,' she said weakly, abandoning her excuses to confirm my suspicions. 'I had no choice, she made threats and there was nothing else I could do.'

I observed her silently, noting that it was certainly something that the Queen would do to guarantee loyalty. Threatening people was certainly a trait that I would associate her with.

'She said that my brother and father would pay if I refused to do what she asked, I couldn't let her hurt them,' she rushed on, eyes shining with unshed tears.

'So was it all lies even from the beginning? Were you working against me from the moment we met?' I inquired, remembering how well we had gotten on from our first encounter.

'No, I swear to you, she came to me later,' Kyla insisted, leaning forwards in her chair as she spoke. 'I was not working for her when we met, you have to believe me.'

I clenched my teeth at her words. I didn't have to believe a single thing that she said, not after she had been spying for the enemy all along.

'So what next? She had you spying on me, reporting my every move, was taking my life the final step?'

Kyla recoiled at the question, shocked that I would even ask such a thing.

'No! Of course not, I could never hurt you,' she whispered, shaking her head at the thought.

'You should've come to me earlier, I could've helped you,' I told her, wishing that she had confided in me about the threats. If I had known sooner then something could've been done about it.

'There was nothing to be done, I didn't want any of this to happen,' she cried, hanging her head in shame at what she had resorted to. I felt a stir of sympathy for her, knowing how formidable the Ice Queen could be when she wanted something.

'You have a chance to put everything right Kyla, we can keep your family safe if you stand in front of the ambassadors and tell them of the Queens plans,' I said in a softer tone, putting my cards on the table to see how she would respond. As expected she did not like the idea one bit, instantly thinking of the worst case scenario.

'Do you have any idea what you're asking of me? There are no guarantees that my family won't suffer the consequences,' she reasoned, shaking her head at the possibility of putting her brother and father in even more danger.

'I will make sure that they come to no harm, I give you my word,' I promised, fully intending to do what I could to keep them from harm. After some more negotiation I was relieved when Kyla finally agreed to speak against the Queen, she was far from being forgiven but it was certainly a start.

My head whipped towards the door when a muted groan sounded from outside, quickly followed by a distinctive thud. We both stood slowly, Kyla's eyes wide in fear as she approached the door. I whispered harshly for her to get back but she ignored my words, listening intently for any sounds from the corridor.

She was about to turn back when the door was pushed open without warning and a flash of metal was all I could make out before Kyla's shriek reached my ears, her hands pressed tightly against the now red area of her shirt as she dropped to one knee.

'Clarke, run!' she insisted weakly, not that I had any chance of getting past the figure in the doorway. My gun had no ammunition left so I darted forwards to reclaim the new dagger that I had placed on the central table, holding it tightly as the assassin left Kyla to advance towards me.

The dangerous smile on his face indicated his underestimation of my skills, he was most likely certain that he could take me down without a problem. Not likely.

After dodging a number of attempted strikes from the blade I finally got my chance when the sword hit the wooden frame of the bed, distracting the man for a second as he heaved to pull it free, growling in agony when I darted forwards and drove my dagger between his ribs. His hand lashed out at my face, sending me stumbling back as he gripped his side in agony.

Abandoning the weapon entirely he threw himself towards me, his momentum continuing even when a gunshot sounded, perfectly aimed between his eyes which sent him crashing to the floor.

I looked up in time to see Bellamy roughly pushed aside as Lexa strode in, fury and worry blending together as she took in the scene before her. Without hesitation I ran across the room to where Kyla lay and knelt by her side, checking desperately for her pulse. She muttered quietly when I probed at the injury, relieved to find that it was not fatal, having only pierced skin and not caused any internal damage.

Lexa instructed the others to leave us, dropping to one knee at my side as her guards went to deal with the assassin.

'Clarke? Are you okay?' she inquired, her eyes raking over me for any signs of injury but I shook my head, it was Kyla who needed the medical attention.

'We need to get her looked at,' I replied, letting Lexa gently pull me back as she instructed one of the guards to lift Kyla and have her taken to the healer. The assassin's body was also taken from the room until only the two of us remained.

I looked down at my bloodstained hands, clenching them into fists as I pictured the Ice Queens mocking smile. There was no doubt that this had been her doing.

'Clarke, you should get yourself cleaned up. You can see Kyla as soon as you are ready,' she suggested, holding my gaze when I raised my eyes to hers.

'Nia will pay for this,' I whispered, knowing that Kyla had been fortunate to escape with her life; if not for her then it could've been my blood coating the floor.

'That she will,' Lexa promised, nodding in agreement before she left the room to find out how Kyla was faring.

Without wasting any more time I cleaned the worst of the blood from the hands, glancing in the mirror to see a faint bruise already forming on my cheek. Bellamy had saved me the trouble of finishing off the assassin though it made me wonder where he had acquired the weapon. Their guns had been confiscated upon their arrival though that was a trivial matter that could wait until later; right now I wanted to check on Kyla.

The guard at my door was waiting to escort me down the few floors to where Kyla was being treated, taking position outside the room when I rushed inside. She was laid on her back on a bed against the wall, Lexa watching the healer work from the other side of the room. She walked over to me when I entered, assuring me that Kyla would make a full recovery and she just needed to recover from the ordeal.

It was a relief to hear the news, despite the knowledge that she had been spying on me for such a long time I couldn't help but care about the girl. We had been good friends after all; it was hardly fair that she had been caught up in this power feud.

'Nia threatened her family, she didn't want any of this,' I said quietly, thinking back to her explanation earlier that day. The sorrow in her voice had not been faked; she was merely in a desperate situation.

'Nia has no concept of morals, there is nothing she would not resort to,' Lexa replied, fully aware of how low the Queen would stoop if she could somehow benefit.

'She agreed to testify publically after I promised to keep her family safe; we have all the evidence we need,' I revealed, Lexa's gaze drawn to me at the information.

'Then let's hope for a quick recovery,' she commented, not needing to voice her concerns over my promise. I was well aware of the statistics involving the fate of Kyla's family; but even so I would keep my word and do my best to keep them out of Nia's clutches.

The Queen would pay for what she had done here, for the lives destroyed and harm caused to the stability of the alliance. With Kyla now on board we finally had the advantage we needed, the Queen was going to be taken down for good. I would see to it that nothing stopped our plans now, she would finally get was coming to her.

**Thanks for reading, leave a comment and tell me what you thought :)**


	41. Chapter 41

I paced back and forth in the small room, channelling my frustration as Kyla remained unconscious after the assassins attack. I felt Lexa's gaze following my steps but I paid it no attention, too wrapped up in my conflicting thoughts to voice my feelings.

'Clarke, this isn't doing anything to help Kyla. You should get some rest and I will have you informed the moment she wakes.'

I shook my head at the prospect, not willing to leave the room until I had spoken to Kyla. It was not only her recovery that had me on edge but the prospect of what Nia would now do in retaliation. She was not a fool and had most probably guessed by now that we knew of her spy; it was now very likely that she would carry out her threats against Kyla's family to disrupt any kind of deal that we held.

Lexa had wasted no time in sending out warriors to hopefully cut off the attack before any harm could be inflicted. I had made a promise to Kyla that I would keep her family safe and I did not want to have to deliver any bad news.

'I will rest once Kyla is awake and her family are safe,' I said, turning on my heel to pace back across the room. All we could do was wait for news but it seemed to be taking an eternity.

'I will go and see if my warriors have returned,' Lexa told me, sensing my impatience. As she rose to leave a small movement from the bed caught my eye and I redirected my steps to stand at Kyla's side, watching intently to see if she showed any signs of regaining consciousness.

A relived smile lifted my lips when her eyes fluttered open, confusion clouding the blue depths as she adjusted to her surroundings.

'Clarke, are you hurt?' she breathed softly, somewhat assured when I shook my head.

'You have a wound on your stomach but it should be healed soon, nothing to worry about,' I explained, receiving the faintest of nods before her breathing deepened and she slipped into a light slumber from the heavy dose of medication that had been given for the pain.

I drew away from the bed, some of the earlier tension receding now that I had spoken to Kyla. The door opened a moment later and I turned to see my mom enter, giving Lexa a small nod before approaching me.

'How is she?'

'Better, she came around for a few minutes,' I told her, receiving a positive smile in response; it was all good news so far.

'Any news on her family?' she inquired, looking over her shoulder to where Lexa stood by the far wall, having stayed once Kyla had shown signs of waking.

'Not yet, though we should be hearing back soon,' she added, aware of my growing concern regarding their wellbeing. I had made a promise to Kyla and it was one that I intended to keep, not that I currently had a lot of control of the situation.

The moment of peace was interrupted when several loud voices could be heard from the corridor. I turned and met Lexa's gaze for an instant before we all rushed out to see what the commotion was about.

The two warriors stood on guard were informing a furious Bellamy that he was not allowed access to this floor even as he attempted to get past them with brute force.

'Enough!' Lexa shouted, the three of us striding down the corridor towards the seething group who thankfully fell silent. 'What is this about?'

'Commander, your warriors have returned and there are casualties, they need medical attention,' Bellamy blurted before the Grounders could speak. My breath caught at the new information, had they got to them in time?

We all piled into the elevator and on the floor below we were met with a collection of bloodied warriors, each needing treatment for a variety of injuries though it was the two stretchers in the centre of the room which caught my attention.

Lexa went to get an update from the patrol leader whilst Abby went to and fro, identifying the most urgent cases. My fists clenched to see a length of cloth draped over one body on the stretcher; clearly they had not been fast enough to the scene.

I heard Lexa call orders for the worst injured to be taken to a separate room, the stretchers carried past me in a blur as I caught a glimpse of the other body before it was taken. The room soon began to clear and I took a step back until I was leaning against the wall, the face of the man one that I instantly recognised.

Venturing down into Polis I had seen his stall and had marvelled at his intricate creations, how kind and generous he had been to every customer. Even then I had felt that he was familiar, it now became clear that this was Kyla's brother. It would seem that he was still alive though the father had been as fortunate.

My eyes focused when a face appeared before me, her eyes shining with concern without the threatening war paint masking her expression.

'What happened?' I asked, wanting to know exactly what had taken place. How had this happened?

'Her father was already dead when they arrived,' she began slowly, 'it appeared that they were going to have her brother's hands removed before they also killed him.'

The brutality was hard to stomach but I appreciated the honesty. I assumed the theatrics was for added effect, it was his skill to carve wood and Nia wanted to inflict as much torment on the family as possible. I pushed away from the wall, collecting myself as I mentally prepared myself for what was to come.

'Clarke, it does not have to come from you. I will tell her what happened,' Lexa offered, knowing that it would be a far from easy task.

'No, I made her a promise and I failed to deliver,' I declined; this was something that I had to do. She would not take it well and I had no doubt that she would hold me responsible but she deserved to hear it from me.

I sat in the wooden chair for around half an hour before Kyla began to stir, coming around faster this time as her eyes focused on me. She gave me a small smile but frowned in confusion at my expression.

'Kyla, we have news regarding your family,' I told her, not wanting to drag it out any longer than necessary. It would only make this harder.

'Tell me,' she said, her voice sounding detached as she prepared herself for the worst.

'Your brother has received some minor injuries but will make a full recovery. I'm afraid your father did not survive.'

Kyla drew in a deep breath as she turned her head to face the ceiling, squeezing her eyes shut as she pushed back the tears that threatened to flow. There was nothing that I could say to console her and she didn't want to hear anything that I had to say.

'You gave me your word that they would be safe,' she whispered, refusing to look at me.

'It was a promise that I wanted to keep, but there was nothing I could do.'

My mistake had been making such a promise to begin with, knowing that it was not entirely possible to uphold.

'What of the Queen?'

'She will be located, for now the Commanders warriors are conducting a search.'

My response was met with silence; her father's killer was on the loose whilst he lay dead on the floor below. It hardly seemed fair.

'You should go,' she said quietly, opening her eyes to stare blindly into the distance, most likely torturing herself with thoughts of what could have been. I respected her decision and stood, gently moving the chair away from the bed.

'I'm sorry.'

She stiffened at my apology and turned her head away, leaving me with no reason to linger and upset her further. I quietly shut the door behind me and lent against it for a moment, fighting my own wave of emotion at what Kyla had already suffered, knowing how losing a parent could break you.

I turned my head when the sound of scuffing boots was heard approaching, Bellamy offering a small smile as he came to a stop in front of me. I couldn't bring myself to return it but he could tell that I wasn't opposed to his presence. Without saying anything he followed me into the lift and accompanied me back to the large room on the floor above, settling into one of the chairs as I shut the door and sat opposite him.

'How are you doing?' he asked gently, offering the chance to vent if it was what I needed.

'I'm tired of watching Nia destroy people's lives,' I admitted, resting my head back against the material, constantly thinking of how Kyla had been caught up in this.

'She'll get what's coming to her, Lexa will see to that,' he assured me, knowing that the commander had little tolerance for the Ice Queen on a good day.

'I never thanked you for the assassin, you saved me the trouble of finishing him off,' I said, the memory feeling somewhat distant after everything that had taken place. 'Though it does raise the question of where you acquired the gun.'

Bellamy shrugged innocently, knowing full well where that weapon had come from and we both knew it.

'Does it really make any difference?'

'I suppose not, I'm sure you're all in on it,' I replied, always amazed with the lengths my friends would go to if they wanted something. They had probably recovered the weapons that had been confiscated, though I was unsure how they had done such a thing without Lexa finding out. It was a mystery for another time; right now there were more important matters at hand.

'Has Kyla agreed to speak to the ambassadors?' Bellamy inquired, having been filled in on what was happening with the Queen.

'She did before the assassin attacked but after recent events I couldn't say for sure.'

He didn't reply when my door opened and the Commander entered, eyes lingering on Bellamy for a moment before dismissing his presence entirely and focusing on me. I perked up in the chair slightly, eager to hear if there was any news.

'The search for the Queen continues, the last patrols found no sign of her. She must have gone into hiding somewhere but we will not stop until she has been found.'

I slumped back in my chair at the information, if she was on the run then there was little chance that she would allow herself to be found.

'Her people will be keeping her safe somewhere, they will not give her up,' I noted, the Queen may have been many things but she still somehow managed to inspire great loyalty in her warriors.

'She cannot evade us forever; she's cornered and will have few allies once Kyla has shared her plans with the ambassadors.'

It seemed likely but only if Kyla agreed to it, after everything that had happened I could hardly blame her if she decided to withdraw from this political mess all together.

A warrior arrived a moment later and informed Lexa that Kyla requested her presence. I jumped up from my chair without hesitation, intent on accompanying the Commander.

'Clarke, she has not asked to see you. It may be for the best if you remain here,' Lexa said softly, not wanting to risk upsetting Kyla further when she held such an important role in our plans. As much as I wanted to speak to her again I knew that Lexa was right, she hadn't received the news of her father well and I was probably the last person she wanted to see.

I returned to my chair once she had left, sitting in silence with Bellamy as we waited for news. It was hard to know how Kyla felt regarding our friendship; it seemed there was no coming back from this. I could hardly blame her and only hoped that I could express my regret at what had happened.

After some time reflecting on what had happened I was jolted from my thoughts when the door opened once more and both Bellamy and I jumped to our feet in anticipation when Lexa entered.

'What did she say?' I inquired, doubting that their conversation had been lengthy considering the weak state that Kyla was still in.

'She is insistent on speaking to the ambassadors tomorrow; she does not wish to delay the meeting.'

I was surprised at the news, having expected the meeting to take place once Kyla had recovered from the wound. The sooner the better, though I wasn't sure whether she would be up to it.

'Are you certain that's the best idea?' I asked, not convinced that she should rush into it so soon.

'I have agreed to the suggestion and the ambassadors will be informed at first light, we cannot allow Nia's schemes to continue any longer.'

My only concern was for Kyla's health but it seemed there was no more discussion on the matter. We would attend the meeting tomorrow and I hoped Kyla would be able to win the ambassadors around. If she did not succeed then it would be a disaster for everyone.

The Council gathered the next day, none of them quite sure what this was about. I stood to the side of the room as they all took their places, sharing a few words of greeting before waiting in silence for the arrival of the Commander.

It was not long before she entered, tailed by a group of warriors and finally Kyla who followed behind. I was worried to see the limp that she moved with and I was certain her stomach wound was still immensely painful. It was brave of her to do this so soon and I wished to extend my thanks to her but she still refused to see me, not even turning her ahead as she stood on the opposite side of the room, eyes averted down to the floor.

Lexa began the meeting with a short formal introduction, quickly going on to explain the reason behind the hasty session. Some looked surprised to hear that this regarded Nia, others frowning uncertainly to hear that she had been committing the highest crimes against everyone in the room.

I now understood the need for hard evidence when I saw their expressions, Nia must have warned them that such allegations would be made and that it was all lies but we would convince them otherwise.

Kyla's name was called and she stepped forwards confidently, standing at the base of the throne as she looked at each ambassador in turn, now was the crucial moment that we had all been waiting for.

'Everything the Commander has said is the truth,' she began, 'I was threatened by the Queen to spy on Skaikru and was told that if I did not do as she ordered then my family would suffer.'

She took a breath before continuing and I could hardly imagine how difficult this must be for her.

'I confessed to my betrayal and vowed to help uncover the Queens treachery. In response she attempted to murder Wanheda and had my father killed. She would have done the same to my brother if the Commander's warriors had not arrived in time.'

There was no doubting the pure emotion in her voice and it was a promising start to winning the ambassadors around, Kyla just had to hold her nerve.

'That is not the worst of it I am afraid, her crimes extend further than personal injury. She has spies spread throughout all of the clans and I heard first hand of her plans to remove opposing leaders from command and have her followers take their place.'

She allowed that information to sink in before continuing.

'All of your clans are in danger from her plotting and it is time that she was stopped. Everyone in this room is at risk from her murderous ways and it is only in agreement that we will be able to end her reign.'

The faces around me were filled with fury and a rumble of consent spread through the room as Kyla stepped back to her previous position by the wall, allowing Lexa to rile the ambassadors further.

'Will we stand for this treachery and leave her crimes go unpunished?'

A resounding wave of cries sounded as they each made their positions clear. Nia no longer held their support.

'Then have your warrior's search every inch of this city for the traitor and have her returned here, by any means necessary.'

The room emptied fast after that as they went to prepare their warriors and begin a search. Only Lexa, Indra, Kyla and I remained. My eyes were drawn to where Kyla was slumped back against the wall, crossing the room in concern to ask how she was.

'Don't touch me,' she spat, coughing sharply even as I drew back at her harsh tone.

'We should get her back to medical,' Indra stated, moving past me to hook an arm around her back and led her out of the throne room, Lexa and I close behind.

Kyla was slowly losing consciousness and therefore could not protest to my presence as I entered the small room. She was laid down carefully on the bed and Abby arrived a moment later to take a look at her injury.

It was a tense few minutes as we waited for her conclusion, and I noticed the frown on her face when she pulled Kyla's shirt back into place having re-bandaged the wound.

'It seems that the injury is not her problem, it is healing well though she has a high temperature and is not fully aware of her surroundings,' she explained, running a hand through her hair as she contemplated her findings.

'So what is causing her deterioration if not an infection?' Indra asked impatiently.

'I believe that the blade may have been poisoned.'

It was one of the worst possible outcomes that I could think of, without knowing what poison was on the blade there was little chance of being able to make a cure.

'It's certainly not fast acting or she would have died by now, I can't say for certain what poison it is though.'

'I believe I do,' Lexa cut in, all heads turning to face her as she mulled through the options. 'The Ice Queen is well known for using drawn out poisons to make her enemies suffer, I had a remedy made for one of the most potent in case it was ever used against me.'

She had the healer summoned and listed a number of ingredients that would counter act the effects, mentally taking note of those that we did not currently have in stock.

'We are short by two types of herb, somewhat uncommon but I know of a dealer who sells them for a high price.'

She was clearly intending to go and retrieve them herself but I spoke up before she even moved an inch.

'I'll go.'

My mom looked like she was going to protest but held her tongue, thankfully deciding that it was best to keep any doubts to herself. Lexa regarded me for a moment, seeing that this was something I needed to do and finally nodded in agreement.

'The price is irrelevant; relay my commands to have it given to you for nothing. He will be compensated at a later time. Take your guards and be careful,' she said briefly, giving me directions to the stall before turning back to instruct the healer on beginning preparations for the antidote.

Wasting no more time I left them to it and gestured for the two guards waiting outside to follow me. Within a few minutes we were leaving the tower and striding through the streets, my concern heightened when I saw the stalls beginning to pack away their goods as the day drew to a close.

Hurrying to the far end of the road we took a left, followed sharply by a twisting lane that led out to the furthest ends of the market. I hurried over to the second stall on my right, relieved to have caught the dealer as he was placing his goods in a number of bags at his feet.

The old man glanced up warily when we approached, standing straighter when he recognised his unexpected customers.

'Wanheda, you do not usually venture this far into the city. What can I do for you?' he asked carefully, seeing the determination in my expression and no doubt wondering if he had done something to anger the Commander. I named the herbs that Lexa required, sensing his reluctance to hand over the item willingly.

'The Commander has ordered that you hand it over without charge, it is an important matter and you will be compensated for your loss,' I added, frustrated when he continued to hesitate, no doubt calculating the profit that would be lost from the free hand out.

'Now,' I commanded sharply, well aware that the antidote depended on this ingredient and this man was not going to hold me up any longer. My icy tone seemed to do the trick and he knelt down to retrieve the item, rifling through the contents of the bag before pulling free a small package and handing it over.

'There, pleasure doing business with you,' he grunted, eyes flicking warily to the warriors at my back before returning to his earlier task of packing down the stall, a few barely audible mutters falling from his lips. I ignored the elderly man and with the package gripped tightly in my hand I retraced my steps back through the city.

We were near the tower when I noticed two figures arguing fiercely in the street, I could see the entrance to the tower in the distance but had no choice but to intervene when the first man threw a punch, hitting the second straight in the jaw.

They were not Trikru warriors and I did not recognise their markings, nor the third who rushed over from a nearby stall to aid his friend. It soon descended into chaos as punches were thrown from both sides and I sent my guards to dissolve the situation, pulling the raging men apart.

One lay on the ground, hand clasped over a bleeding nose, the other two restrained by my guards even as they fought to break free of their grip. I could see that they showed no signs of calming and if they were let go they would only continue their fight elsewhere.

'Have them taken into holding; the Commander can deal with them in the morning.'

The guards pulled the struggling men away from the stalls and towards a separate building beside the tower where any trouble makers were left to rethink their actions. The man on the floor stood somewhat unsteadily and, without even looking at me, stumbled past and headed down the street.

Shaking my head at their foolish behaviour I continued on to the tower, Lexa did not approve of any unnecessary fighting in the streets knowing full well that it could escalate into a much larger situation if it got out of hand. It only took the slightest issue for a war to ignite between two clans, something that we certainly wanted to prevent.

After an impatient elevator ride up through the tower I eventually emerged onto the right floor and rushed to the healer to drop off the herbs. I was relieved to hear that once added the antidote would be complete and within a few moments a cup full of a rather foul looking liquid was produced.

It made me feel queasy just looking at it but it was essential that Kyla drank it all. She sputtered on reflex when it touched her lips but in her barely conscious state it was far easier to administer then if she had been fully awake.

I breathed a sigh of relief once it was all gone, hoping that it would work fast and she would recover quickly. My mom did a final check of her vitals before stating that she would remain by her side tonight to ensure that no problems arose. Lexa agreed and left with Indra to go and check on how the search for the Queen was faring.

My mom assured me that there was nothing to be done for Kyla at this moment and insisted that I go and get some rest. I reluctantly left her to it and returned to my room, tired after such a long and eventful day. It seemed all that we needed now was for the Queen to be found and dealt with.

I walked to the table and poured myself a cup of water, sipping from it as I contemplated how different things would be once this was all over. With the Ice Queen out of the picture camp Jaha would no longer have to contend with the army at their gates, hopefully I would be able to build some bridges with Kyla and we wouldn't have to live in fear of who the Queen might hurt next to gain more power.

I went over to window and looked out over the quiet city, thinking that maybe for once a moment of peace may be possible amidst all of this political fighting and treachery. We head been involved in countless conflicts ever since landing on the ground and it would be nice to enjoy my stay at Polis for however long the fragile peace might hold, something that I had not yet been able to do.

The door opened behind me and I smiled softly to think that Lexa had finished her updates and had come to talk, turning to greet her when the smile abruptly died on my lips. My visitor was far from who I had been expecting.

'Nia,' I whispered in disbelief, hardly recognising her without the usual attire. Bound in more common furs and with a material hood pulled over scraggly hair she looked far from the imposing figure that threatened the coalition at every turn.

I carefully set the cup down on the table not yet backing up as the women regarded me with a smirk, still holding onto her arrogance even when she had lost everything.

'I'm sure your wondering how I got in but that's the least important of many questions, it's a shame your guards got held up.'

Her statement puzzled me for a moment, I had no idea how she had entered the tower without being detected but I realised then that she must have set up the altercation in the street so that she could gain access to my chambers.

'It's all piecing together now isn't it,' she mocked, her eyes just as cold and cruel as I remembered. 'It was surprising how easy it was to convince those men to set on each other; some people just have no morals.'

I would've laughed at the pure ridiculousness of the statement if I hadn't understood exactly why she was here in the first place. I backed up and slowly reached for the gun tucked away at my waist as Nia spoke freely of how disappointed she had been upon hearing how I had gone to her son Roan in an attempt to turn him against her.

'I'm surprised you didn't realise that the serving girl was a spy earlier,' she mused, not even remembering Kyla's name.

'Her name is Kyla,' I growled, lifting the gun to aim straight at the Queen, infuriated by her calm demeanour.

'Oh yes, I could never quite remember the small details,' she went on, pulling the hood down from her face as she raised an eyebrow at my weapon. I tried to focus the aim directly over her heart but to my surprise I found my arms shaking, the accuracy of the weapon diminishing as it swayed from side to side.

'That's not a very good idea, I would warn you not to be foolish,' she began, not finishing when I cut her off. I'd had enough of her incessant talking.

'Oh yeah?' I snarled, pulling the trigger before she could infuriate me further. My head ached from the loud sound and I froze when her chilling laugh cut through the air. I was stunned to see the bullet embedded in the wall to the far right of the Queen, not even close.

I had to squeeze my eyes shut momentarily when a wave of dizziness hit me, opening them again to find that there were three images of the Queen flickering before me, no matter how many times I shook my head to clear my vision they refused to disappear.

'Oh dear, not feeling so good?'

My knees were trembling and my head was pounding far worse than I had ever experienced, what the hell was wrong with me?

In desperation I pulled the trigger once more and my aim was even further off this time, drawing another laugh from the Queen.

'What a shame, it looks like you just tried to kill me. I'd call that a solid case for self-defence, what do you think?'

She tutted at me in disappointment before darting forwards to pull the weapon from my grip and drop it carelessly on the floor. She had an item in her hand, holding it in front of my face until I recognised it to be the cup that I had previously set down on the table.

'What did you do?' I managed to mutter, stepping back on shaky legs until my back hit the wall. She must have slipped something into my drink before I arrived, how she had managed all of this I would never know but I hoped Lexa would make her suffer for this. Of that I had no doubt.

'Oh don't worry, you won't die from it. Merely a concoction of sedatives that I have been working on, far more enjoyable to be able to speak without any unnecessary violence. Well, from you at least.'

I could barely focus on her, my surroundings blurred as her multiple figures began to merge together, winding around each other until I could no longer tell which was real. The cup dropped to the floor with a sharp clatter, the sounding ringing momentarily in my ears.

The Queen was in no hurry to finish me off, drawing out the torturous comments as she flicked a small blade between her fingers with deadly accuracy. Most of her words passed unheard as I struggled to remain upright but one statement in particular caught my attention.

'Your beloved Commander has also been taken care of, a few of my men saw to that,' she grinned, taking pleasure from the hurt that must have crossed my face, soaking it all up with vicious joy.

A tightness spread across my chest at the thought, my vision blurring further as unshed tears gathered in my eyes.

'Liar,' I growled, but the wolfish smile on her face said otherwise. My strength seemed to leave me at the combination of whatever had been in my drink and the prospect of Lexa's death. My knees buckled without warning and slid down the wall as Nia towered over me, nothing even close to sane in her expression. Seemingly finished torturing me with her bitter words, Nia fixed me with one last hateful glare before she finally dealt with me once and for all.

'And now it's your turn,' she stated, brandishing the weapon as she prepared to take me out with one swift blow.

A click sounded as the door to my room burst open and Nia barely had time to turn her head towards the intruder before a gunshot echoed throughout the room and a dark stain spreading across the Queen's chest was all I saw before the blade dropped from her hand and she fell to her knees with a grunt.

'Stay the hell away from my daughter,' Abby snarled, gun still aimed in case she made any sudden movements. When the women fell to her side, clutching her chest with a groan Abby stepped around her and knelt in front of me, a soft hand at the side of my face whilst I attempted to focus on her.

I was barely able to take in the last few seconds as my heart pounded, glancing down at the now unmoving body not a metre away. Without warning I struggled to my feet, a choked sound escaping my lips at the Queens earlier words.

_Your beloved Commander has also been taken care of._

_'_Clarke, take it easy,' my mom advised, standing when I barely avoided tripping over my own feet as I attempted to direct myself towards the door. I barely heard her speak as the sorrow threatened to drown me with one name on my lips.

My energy was all but gone and I had barely made it to the door when it dissipated all together and I fell forwards, colliding straight into someone who had just appeared in the doorway, a strong grip taking my weight to slowly lower me down to the floor. A familiar glimpse of intense green eyes was the only thing I could make out before the sedative took a hold.

**Thank you for reading, leave a comment and tell me what you thought :D**


	42. Chapter 42

My eyes opened sluggishly, feeling heavier than usual and it required some effort to keep them open against the light that instantly blinded my vision. I raised a hand to my face to block out the intense brightness, feeling the bed dip beneath me as someone moved to sit at my side. My vision soon began to clear and as my eyes adjusted to the light I saw my mom smiling down at me, overjoyed to see me awake once more.

'Take it easy,' she cautioned as I attempted to pull myself upright, glancing around to see that I was in my own room, lying on the furs of my bed. 'You've been out for a while.'

My head felt foggy as I tried to understand what she was saying.

'How long?'

'A few days, whatever Nia drugged you with worked a treat,' she said dryly, startled when I jumped into action at the name.

Whatever troubles I'd been having remembering the last few days all but disappeared when I heard the Ice Queens name. Her taunting words echoed through my head and I felt my throat tightening at the prospect that something terrible had befallen Lexa.

'What do you think you're doing?' Abby inquired, watching disapprovingly as I swung my legs over the side of the bed with as much strength as I could muster. 'You're staying in that bed for a few more hours until you have fully recovered.'

'I need to go,' I all but growled, looking back over my shoulder in desperation wondering how she could be so calm. I recalled the green eyes that had swam into my vision before falling unconscious but I couldn't allow myself to believe that it hadn't merely been a figment of my imagination. I had to find out what had happened.

'This wouldn't have anything to do with the Commander would it?' she asked, standing from the bed as I fell silent. 'If you're planning on running off anywhere you can forget about it.'

I looked up at her in dismay, surely she wouldn't keep me here when she knew what this meant to me. If she didn't by now then the pain in my eyes surely gave it away at that moment. I opened my mouth to protest, willing to fight my way out of this room if I had to. There was no need for such extremities when her eyes flicked over my shoulder momentarily before returning to me.

'Looks like she beat you to it,' she said with an amused smile and my head swiveled to find that the green eyes had most definitely not been a figment of my imagination.

'Lexa,' I breathed, unable to do anything for a moment but take in the sight of her, dressed casually rather than adorned in war gear, a warm smile lifting her lips as she came to a stop a few meters away.

With no mind to my current lack of strength, I stood somewhat unsteadily and virtually threw myself towards her with outstretched arms, relief coursing through me that she was alive and well. She returned the embrace without hesitation, huffing a small chuckle against my neck when she had to steady us both from my momentum.

I couldn't care less that my mother was in the room at that moment, aware of nothing but the private world that I shared only with Lexa. Burying my face into her shoulder I knew that everything was going to be okay, no matter what the fallout from this whole saga was then we would deal with it together, like we always did.

Lexa pulled back after a few lengthy moments, keeping a hand under my arm for support as her eyes remained fixed on me. It was only then, when I happened to glance down, did I notice the bandage wrapped tightly around her upper arm, visible through her light shirt.

'What happened?' I asked, instantly concerned as I lifted a hand to hover over the raised material. Lexa glanced down to where my attention lay and shook her head dismissively, guiding me back to the bed as she replied.

'It's nothing serious; a few of Nia's men laid an ambush at the lift but they were quickly dealt with.'

It certainly sounded somewhat serious, I thought as I returned to my previous position on the bed. Despite my lengthy slumber, it seemed that Nia's concoction was still working its way out of my system and had left me noticeably weaker even after very little movement.

'I took care of the wound myself,' Abby piped up from where she stood, somewhat forgotten by the far wall. 'I believe it was the Azgeda warriors who fared worse in the confrontation.'

It would seem that Nia had not been lying when she had told me that Lexa had been taken care of, for all she had known that was the end of the matter. I should've known better than to think that Lexa would be beaten so easily, it was not wise to underestimate her skill.

Lexa began to move away but paused when I reached out a hand to grip her good arm, pulling her back a step towards me.

'Where are you going?'

'I just have a few small arrangements to make and then I will return, Abby can update you in the meantime.'

I could tell that she was withholding something, but I let it slide as she bent down and placed a soft kiss on my forehead, telling me to get some rest before she disappeared.

Quickly finding myself under my mother's knowing gaze, I cleared my throat lightly before inquiring what had happened whilst I had been unconscious. Abby went on to tell me how Roan had succeeded his mother and become King of Azgeda. He had promised to withdraw the forces that had been surrounding the Skaikru camp and had made it clear that he held none of his mother's ideals or bad feelings against the other clans.

It was the best news I could have hoped for and for the moment it seemed that things had improved now that Nia had been taken from the picture. It was a relief to hear the good results after everything that we had gone through to get to this point. It was only when I inquired after Kyla did a hesitant silence fill the room and I snapped my gaze to where my mom stood, almost expecting the worst news.

'The anti-dote worked, do not worry about that and her wound is healing nicely,' she assured me, pushing away from the wall to move closer to the bed.

'Then what is it that you don't want to tell me?'

She paused again, glancing down at the floor as if to find the right words. I willed her to just tell me already, dancing around it was hardly going to help.

'She has decided that, as soon as she is able, she will be leaving the city with her brother.'

I lent back against the pillows as I processed her words, my brain instantly jumping to identify what I had done to cause this to happen, she couldn't leave because of me.

'Don't go thinking any of it is your fault Clarke,' my mom chided, knowing full well what my thoughts were angled towards. 'She feels it's for the best, after everything that has happened you can hardly blame her.'

I nodded slowly, having hoped that we could've somehow got past our differences and got back to how it was before though it seemed near impossible now. My mom lent forward and placed a light hand on my arm.

'I'll leave you to get some rest, sleep it off and you'll soon be up and about again.'

She smiled brightly and pulled back, quietly pulling the door shut at her back, leaving me to my thoughts. I had little time to dwell on the issue when my eyes began to weigh down heavy once more and I slipped into a light sleep.

Upon waking a few hours later I was felling far better than earlier, none of the previous weakness lingering in my body from the concoction. My head felt clearer and with it came the knowledge that Kyla was leaving, and I was determined to speak to her before she did.

I rose from the bed and hurriedly pulled on some fresh clothes, a jacket slipping over my shoulders before tugging on my boots. I was freeing some of the tangles from my hair when the door opened, startling me for a second until Lexa slipped inside.

Resuming my relentless task, I felt her steady gaze on me, knowing full well my intentions without even having to ask. She moved forwards to stand behind me, her footsteps virtually silent on the hard surface. The tensions running through me eased instantly when her hands slipped through the strands of hair, effortlessly working through the knots as she continued to watch me in the mirror.

'She's leaving,' I said softly, feeling the need to unburden the weight that had settled over me. I couldn't help but feel responsible for the decision, I had promised to protect her family and her father was dead.

'It's not your fault Clarke, and you should not talk to her until you realize that,' she insisted, careful not to pull my hair when she reached a particularly resistant tangle. It was soon free and her eyes flicked back up to mine once again as she continued.

'You're right,' I said with a sigh, weighing myself down with guilt would not do right by anyone. I had to accept what had happened and meet Kyla in a stable mind set where I could be open to whatever decision she made.

The knots in my hair had been worked free with far more ease than I had found, watching her pull back the front sections to start a simple braid along the sides and down the back. It gave me some more time to gather myself and it astounded me once more when Lexa knew precisely what I needed without the slightest doubt.

'Do you think she can forgive me?' I asked quietly, not sure if I would be able to in her position. Lexa remained silent for a moment, considering her reply as she finished off the braid. She took a step back to fully observe the final work and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder to turn me until I faced her.

'Only she can tell you that.'

I nodded, knowing that she spoke the truth, only one person had the capability to do such a thing and it was not Lexa's place to say. She walked me to the lift, accompanying me down to the floor below, wishing me well as I stepped out. She would take the elevator back up to her chambers, giving me sufficient space to speak to Kyla alone.

I hesitated outside the entrance to the medical room, my hand hovering above the handle as I reminded myself to be strong. Going in with nothing but guilt on my mind would not achieve anything. After a steady breath I knocked lightly and then entered, prepared for whatever was to come.

She was lying out on the bed when I entered, her hands laced behind her head as she gazed up at the ceiling, turning her head to look over when I stepped inside.

'I was hoping that we could speak, that is unless you'd rather not?' I began, not wanting to force a conversation on her without her consent. She shook her head slowly, pushing up to sit with her legs over the side of the bed as she gestured for me to sit on the wooden seat next to the bed. We sat in a short silence as I looked her over, she appeared to be well, no longer as pale as I had last seen her from the poison.

'I hear that you plan to leave,' I finally gathered the courage to say, receiving a small nod and first I didn't think she would respond.

'My brother and I are in agreement, there is nothing left for us here but painful memories,' she finally replied, her eyes still fixed on the floor as she spoke.

'Don't feel you have to leave because of me, I wouldn't want you to feel forced to leave, there is always a place for you,' I suggested, making it clear that it was always a possibility.

'It's not because of you that I'm leaving, though what has developed between us cannot be undone,' she said with certainty, finally bringing herself to look up at me as I frowned in confusion. Surely there was nothing that we could not overcome?

'After my betrayal you could never trust me fully again, you may convince yourself of it but the doubt will always be there. Not only that, every time I looked at you I would be reminded of how I lost my father to the Queen. It is far better to get away from this place and focus on the future,' she explained, dropping her gaze again as I realized that she was completely set on this choice.

'If you feel that it is for the best,' I told her, not completely agreeing with her logic but not willing to fight over it. It had to be her decision. 'When do you go?'

'First light tomorrow.'

It was soon, very soon. I had expected a few weeks at the most but it seemed that she needed escape far earlier than that.

'Then I will be there to see you off, if you would like,' I suggested, phrasing my words carefully in case it was not her wish.

'I think it would be best if we left unnoticed, I do not want to make a scene,' she refused, and I nodded slowly at the decision. 'I wanted to speak to you know so that I could say goodbye.'

'Be well Kyla, and I hope to see you again one day.'

We shared a small smile before I took my cue to leave, not wanting to overstay my welcome. I wished her well and retreated back to the door, only pausing when I heard her barely audible words.

'Thank you.'

I hesitated and looked back at her, finding her gaze on me once more, clear of any anger that I had expected to find.

'For what?'

It was the last thing I had been expecting to hear, if anything the opposite had been far more likely.

'For understanding,' she said simply, holding my gaze for a second longer before returning to her earlier position on the bed. I left her to it, shutting the door gently behind me.

'How is she?' Bellamy asked quietly, leaning patiently against the wall in the corridor outside Kyla's room as I emerged.

'Better, she's leaving with her brother tomorrow morning.'

He nodded, knowing that I had wanted Kyla to stay, but it wasn't down to me. As much as I hated to admit it, Kyla's words had made some sense. It was very possible that I would not be able to fully trust her for a long time to come, and she couldn't bring herself to look at me without the painful memories of her father resurfacing.

'I know you've got a lot on your mind, but you're presence has been requested in the throne room,' he told me, pushing away from the wall when I glanced at him quizzically.

'Lexa?'

'Not this time, she sent me to accompany you. It seems the newly appointed King of Azgeda wishes to speak to you,' he explained, not having met or heard of Roan before.

'Did he say what about?' I asked, though it was likely to concern the death of his mother. I wasn't expecting any trouble from him, during our short meeting a few weeks ago he had shown to share none of his mother's rage against either the Trikru or Skaikru.

'Not that I was told of. Lexa is unable to attend so she thought it best that I was present, especially if anything he has to say regards our people.'

'Then let's go and see what he wants,' I said, taking the lead to the elevator and up to the top floor. Two guards stood on duty outside the throne room, not hesitating to reach out and push the two large doors open for us.

The King was stood patiently by the set of stairs leading up to throne, turning slowly when the large doors heaved to a shut at our backs. Arms hooked behind his back, his remained silent as we came to a stop with about a meter of distance between us. Despite our first meeting which had gone rather successfully, I did not yet know where we stood regarding his mother.

'Clarke, it is good to see you well,' he said in greeting, having heard of my encounter with the Queen and her assassin.

'You wanted to speak to me?' I inquired, wondering what it was he wanted.

'I told you we would be speaking again, I must admit I hadn't expected it to be quite this soon,' he mused, earning the attention of Bellamy who frowned in my direction.

'You've met before?' he said quietly, not caring that Roan could clearly hear him.

'Clarke sought me out a few weeks ago and must say, I prefer meeting here than in some dark building on the edge of the city,' Roan said before I could reply, a barely noticeable smile on his face when Bellamy shot me a raised eyebrow. It seemed Lexa was not the only one who disapproved of the secret meeting.

'And here we are,' I went on hurriedly. 'How are you finding your new role?'

'It requires a certain ruthlessness to lead Azgeda, especially now that their Queen has been killed,' he said lightly, hinting that there was some unrest regarding Nia's passing.

'I do hope you will be a firm ally to Skaikru in these trying times, the coalition will be even stronger with your compliance,' I said in return, not wanting any more future trouble from Azgeda now that he was in power. For now he was a far better ruler than his mother ever would have been, though only time would tell if the peace would hold.

'That is precisely what I wanted to speak with you about,' he explained, Bellamy relaxing slightly at my side as the tension passed. 'I understand that my mother held a strong hatred for Skaikru and a number of the clans in the coalition, I would like to assure you that I do not share her ideals. As far as I am concerned, the slate has been wiped clean and I have ordered that my warriors pull back from the Skaikru camp.'

Bellamy was more than happy to hear that the camp was no longer surrounded by the warriors, he could rest easy that there would be no fighting.

'Thank you,' I said sincerely, not many would agree to peace after all that had taken place. 'It may not be my place to ask, but are there any hostilities regarding the Queen?'

Despite her scheming and treachery, many of her people were loyal and would not take her death lightly, especially under the circumstances.

'My mother felt that Skaikru weapons were a threat, many backed her plans to wipe out Skaikru and make the first move. She was shot dead by a Skaikru weapon, some would say that it made her argument even stronger,' he said after a pause, and I wondered just how many complaints he had dealt with regarding the issue.

'It was self-defence, she made the first move against Skaikru and dealt with the consequences,' I replied, watching his expression for any sign of anger but he remained perfectly neutral.

'Some would say that she had a point, depending on your point of view of course,' he said, a moment of silence passing before he glanced away from me and the tension was broken. 'As intriguing as this has been, I must be on my way. The duties of a King are never ending.'

I nodded and thanked him for the assurances of peace before he strode past us and out of the double doors. Bellamy turned to me barely a second after the King's exit, doubts written clearly on his expression.

'Do you think we can trust him?' he inquired, not having been entirely convinced by his performance.

'I'd rather see him in power than Nia. I believe that he wishes for peace, for now at least and that's as good as it gets.'

I retired to my room for the evening, now feeling fully recovered after my rest and Bellamy returned to his own room to prepare for their departure the next morning.

My spirits lifted when I closed the door softly behind me to find Lexa stood at my window, looking out over the city. She turned when I entered, asking how my conversation with Kyla had gone.

'She's leaving with her brother tomorrow morning,' I replied, moving to stand at her side, even though she had probably been informed earlier. 'Her departure will be on good terms though; it was the best I could have hoped for.'

Lexa nodded in understanding, clasping her hands in front of her stomach as her eyes flickered over me, as if trying to discern something from my gaze.

'Your mother intends to travel back to camp Jaha tomorrow morning; I have provided some horses and warriors to accompany you back safely.'

I frowned at her inclusion of me in the sentence, barely registering the rushed word as she continued to speak.

'I wanted you to know that your time in Polis has been welcome and that your help was invaluable.'

'Lexa…' I interrupted gently, but she raised a hand to stop me, clearly she had more to say.

'I understand that you need to return to Camp Jaha for your people, they will need a strong leader now more than ever. Polis will always be here when you wish to return, day or night it matters not. I know that-'

Her speech was cut short was cut short when I leaned in unexpectedly, silencing her words in an instant as I placed a firm kiss on her lips, her hand rising to my face a second later after initial surprise. I pulled back a moment later, our breaths still mingling in the small distance and I grinned at her ridiculous speech.

'I'm not going anywhere branwada, unless you want me to?' I asked teasingly, a shake of the head her only response as she gazed back at me with wide eyes. She lent forwards for another kiss, frowning when I pulled back after a few seconds.

'My time in Polis has been _welcome?_ Surely I had a greater impact than that?' I said lightly, recalling her words from earlier. Lexa smirked in response, her green eyes burning with passion.

'You certainly have,' she murmured, capturing my lips before I could say anything else. I forgot about the entire world in those few moments, only caring about one person. No way was I going anywhere; things were only just getting started.

The next morning I was confused for a moment when I felt the heat against my back, smiling when I remembered precisely where I was. Twisting carefully onto my over side, my smile grew even bigger to see Lexa lying peacefully under the sheets. Her eyes cracked open when she felt my gaze on her, those green eyes enough to melt my heart all over again.

'Don't say it,' she murmured, letting her eyes shut again. I was so very tempted just to lie in the soft bed for the whole day, not giving a care about any responsibilities. Unfortunately there was little choice in the matter.

'Lexa we have to-'

'Shhh,' she cut in, as if not allowing me to finish the sentence was the solution.

I chuckled at her objections, watching her content expression for a few more minutes. At this rate we wouldn't be going anywhere.

'Lexa,' I said firmly, her eyes opening with a sigh at my insistence.

'Yes?' she responded softly, lifting a hand to gently trace a random pattern over my cheek. I said nothing as I was lost in the action and her hypnotizing gaze, having to mentally shake myself out of the distraction.

'Lexa we have to…'

Now it was my turn to leave a sentence unfinished when she took that moment to kiss me, all of my convincing mental arguments falling away within seconds.

'We should really get up,' I murmured against her lips, my mom was heading back to camp Jaha and would be waiting for us to see her off. My words sounded weak even to my own ears and Lexa knew that she was winning.

'No,' she stated, smiling when I didn't even bother to argue at this point, surely a few more minutes wouldn't matter. I nodded in agreement, allowing myself to fully melt into the kiss as time became a vague memory.

Lexa and I stood in the elevator, the long journey down giving me the much needed time to pull on my boots and fix my somewhat untidy hair after our rushed exit from Lexa's room.

Time had most certainly been forgotten and it was now close to midday as we descended the tower. I could hardly believe it, my mom was supposed to have left at first light and I knew she would not have gone without saying goodbye. Lexa chuckled to herself as she helped straighten my jacket, not sharing my concern over how late we were.

The doors opened a moment later and I rushed out ahead of Lexa, who was still smiling at my back. My mom was going to be pissed.

'What on earth kept you so long?' Abby called out as I hurried across the courtyard, very conscious of my odd behaviour. Lexa was not far behind, and I was glad that I did not have to face my mom's questions alone. I hesitated and glanced at Lexa momentarily before realising that my mom was still waiting on my reply.

'Oh, uh, we had very important business to attend to,' I stammered, trying to contain a grin as I saw Lexa doing the same.

My mom released an annoyed sigh, just thankful that I had finally decided to turn up, even if I was rather late. She pulled me in for a tight hug, subtly dropping a few words to suggest that I return to Camp Jaha as soon as I was ready. I promised that I would make a visit at some point and she nodded before stepping back to allow my friends to say goodbye.

They were soon saddled and filing out of the city in single file, a host of Trikru warriors accompanying them on their journey. I smiled and shook my head at what my mom must have thought of me, not that I cared. Lexa stepped forwards to stand at my side, our shoulders brushing as we watched the group fade into the distance. Polis had just become a new world of opportunity and I knew that there were many good times to come.

**_I can only apologise for the wait but I hope it was worth it! That's the last chapter of this story so thank you for reading and voting. Your comments have been both amusing and enjoyable to read so thank you for taking the time to leave them. _**

**_There may be a new story following Clarke and Lexa's relationship in Polis, or I may start an Eliza Lex story depending on what you guy's would like. I've been watching FTWD recently so it's an idea! If there are any other fandoms you would like to see a story written for then tell me in the comments. _**

**_If you have any other requests for story lines or what you would like to see next leave a comment and let me know so I can get back to you. Thank you again for reading and I hope you have enjoyed the story! :D _**


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